So I kind of have a stupid question to throw out there. I’m eighteen, gay (obviously), and I’ll be pre-law and a student athlete at my university in the Fall. I'm in the State of Illinois, and my majors will be Social Work and Political Science. After law school, I’m hoping to enter practical politics; the government sector? I will be out for the rest of my life, and I want to be someone of quality for people to look up to. But I'm also nervous because I'm afraid of the oppression that might result being a homosexual male. The only thing I’m nervous about right now, is dating. I think I’m brainwashed into the fact I could make a mistake that would destroy my future in politics. Because of this, I have avoided any situation that could result in attraction. But I don’t know what that mistake would be. And I would really like to start having those opportunities, who wouldn't want the opportunity to date and find a soulmate? Does anyone have any advice, or can speak from experience that would be of assistance? Thank ---------- Post added 22nd Jul 2013 at 08:33 PM ---------- And I spelled practical wrong. Sorry everyone?
If you're looking to get elected to anything nationally, being gay probably means it's not going to happen anytime soon. Maybe in a few decades. Regionally, it's much more possible to get elected. Maybe as a congressman or something, if you're in an area that's LGBT friendly. As for dating, I've never met anyone who actually changed their mind in an election because a candidate dated the wrong person in their twenties/teens. It really isn't that big a deal, in my opinion.
The end of law school is so far away that I fully expect being gay will not be any kind of detriment to your career goals. There are openly gay members of congress and tons of others in government, and IL isn't exactly the most conservative state. A clear majority approves of gay marriage now and here you can see, even for president: Atheists, Muslims See Most Bias as Presidential Candidates By 2020 or whatever, no one's going to care that you dated guys, and you'll be a lot happier if you do. That's great that you want to set an example, especially in sports where it's still somewhat an issue. That sounds like a great opportunity to lead.
Yeah, as you said, it's very possible to successfully run for congress or governor as a gay male/female depending on what state you're from. I'm also majoring in political science and plan to work in politics in some capacity. I'm honestly not too concerned about being gay because if you're likable and have a good campaign team, you can win.
When you say practical politics it makes me think more of someone who actually works in a community and makes his name known......sorry if that's bashing some politicians, but the majority do nothing. Sigh... I think you'd have a chance to be mayor or something, but you'd have go get your arse there right now. I highly doubt you can just move to a city and run. On top of that, if you go to a pro-gay city, you will not be the only gay person there. So what makes you stand apart? Honestly, I'd focus on YOU. what makes you tick? What makes your political beliefs? Also, in terms of dating....seeing as Anthony Weiner is still around and Still admitting to even more shit, then honestly, I really doubt you have anything to worry about. Even if you would go have a lot of fun, just own up to it. Say you're running for mayor and some idiot says "we had sex in the back of a club and then in a church" you can say "well......so what?" Okay, that's not a good example....but just be honest. Live the life you want to. Just be open!
I've worked in politics for the past ten years for conservative political organizations in Canada. Being gay and working in politics - apart from a few small-minded morons, nobody will particularly care about your sexuality as a political consultant/operative. Mostly, they care about your ability to get someone elected. If you are volunteering on campaigns, working as an operative, or working for a third party group, what matters is your talent and experience. Who you sleep with isn't an issue. Being gay and running for office - this is a bit of a different issue, as some voters are prejudiced and will make their voting decisions based on stupid criteria (like someone being gay). How open you are will depend on where your run and what office you seek. In a lot of jurisdictions, your sexual orientation won't be an issue - particularly if you are generally discreet about your personal life. In any campaign, you will do an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses (SWOT analysis) as compared to your opponent. If you believe your opponent will use your sexual orientation against you (which is becoming much less common) then be prepared with how you will push back on the issue - he/she is trying to distract from this own shortcomings, he/she is bigoted and that's not who you want standing up for you in X - as has been pointed out previously, how you handle an issue is the most important, and voters are pretty forgiving/understanding if you manage issues effectively. That being said, I think you should bear in mind that you one day may seek office, and have that govern some of your behaviour (and this applies for all candidates, not just gay ones). The photos and videos you post to Facebook can and will be used against you, so just make sure that your public image remains appropriate. Best of luck - and remember that having a solid network of friends, business contacts, and other personal connections is a huge asset going into any election campaign.
