Over the years, Clinton has become something of an icon in the gay community. Sanders, on the other hand, has only a handful of LGBT celebrity backers, including Heather Matarazzo, Ezra Miller and singer Meshell Ndegeocello. Ellen DeGeneres, “I Am Cait” star Candis Cayne, Jim Parsons, Michael Kors, Rosie O’Donnell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Chris Colfer, Greg Berlanti, Lee Daniels, Andrew Rannells, Elton John and Ricky Martin have all endorsed her. Gay Hollywood has already rolled out the rainbow carpet for Clinton. LGBT adult population for 2014 was estimated at a whopping $884 billion, according to an analysis by Witeck Communications, a D.C.-based pubic relations and marketing firm. The gay community is one of the most sought-after voting blocs, particularly when it comes to donations. I can relate to that.”Īlso Read: 16 Potential Hillary Clinton Running Mates, From Elizabeth Warren to Cory Booker (Photos) As one 40-year-old “Bros4Hillary” member, who preferred his name not be used, told TheWrap, “She was bullied a lot by Republicans. Some of those who grew up in the days before “ Queer as Folk” and “Will & Grace” seem to relate to Clinton on an even deeper level than, say, Millennials.
“Gay men have been the outsiders in a world of straight male power.” “The story of women who’ve had to overcome adversity is appealing to them,” Blum told TheWrap. Blum, who serves as the director and founder of the Gay Therapy Center in Los Angeles and San Francisco, there’s a reason gay men are drawn to Clinton. And so is Hillary.”Īccording to psychotherapist Adam D. “Having been vilified as a community, you’re on the outside looking in. “She’s so qualified, we forget that she’s a woman vying for the biggest, hardest job in the country,” Mohajer said. A February survey conducted by the gay dating app SCRUFF found that more than 63 percent of respondents supported Clinton for president, while less than half - 31 percent - backed Sanders.Ĭlinton also scored the endorsement of major gay organizations, including Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT advocacy group in the country, and Equality PAC, a political action committee formed by leaders of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus.Īlso Read: Hollywood Stars for Hillary Clinton (List)ĭespite being painted as part of the establishment by the Sanders campaign, when it comes to many in the gay community, Clinton is seen as the underdog candidate. It seems gay men are flocking to Clinton this election cycle.
In an effort to gain attention on social media, “Bros4Hillary” produced a series of sexy memes, including one featuring a hunky firefighter that reads: “We’ll Put Out Your Bern,” a jab at Sen. “I was really surprised at the response,” founder Nelson Melegrito told TheWrap. The group has also raised some cash for its candidate - about $9,000 so far. These days, “Bros4Hillary” has close to 8,000 members, including some of Clinton’s own campaign staffers. The group started as little more than a Facebook page, but for reasons even its organizers can’t quite explain, it took off.Īlso Read: Bernie Sanders Facebook Pages Shut Down After Porn Cyber Attack We identify with her.”Ī lawyer by day, Mohajer is the political director of Bros4Hillary, a grassroots organization boasting mostly gay men from Los Angeles (though its founders insist it’s open to anyone) that was throwing its first major event at the bawdy bar. “Gay men love powerful women,” said Alex Mohajer.