Too Young For Him?

[Lonnie]

Labour MP Luke Pollard was sent despicable homophobic abuse for sharing Valentine’s Day photo with boyfriend

Nick Duffy February 15, 2021

Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport with his boyfriend (Twitter/Luke Pollard)

Labour MP Luke Pollard is facing homophobic trolling on social media after posting a photo of himself and his boyfriend to mark Valentine’s Day.

Luke Pollard, an openly gay MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, took to social media on Sunday (14 February) to post a selfie with his partner.

He wrote: “Happy Valentine’s Day to my lovely boyfriend! X”

The post attracted dozens of homophobic responses from far-right trolls focussed on an apparent “age gap” between Pollard, 40, and his boyfriend, who appears to be in his mid-to-late 20s.

One comment branded Pollard a “dirty Labour nonce”, while another read: “He looks 12 years old, you should be locked up.”

Thankfully, plenty of people flooded the post with messages of support for Pollard, with many calling out the veiled homophobia and stressing that there’s absolutely nothing odd about a relationship between two consenting adults.

 

“Age gap” criticism is often targeted at gay men to perpetuate homophobic tropes, with many responses noting that prime minister Boris Johnson, 56, never faces similar abuse over his 32-year-old fiancée Carrie Symonds.

This is a beautiful picture, of a couple clearly in love.
Those who bemoan the perceived 'age gap' here, but don't do so when it comes to the PM and his female partner, are being (whether they realise it or not) homophobic.
They should have a word with themselves.
Love is Love. https://t.co/oHPJUw6pV4

— Cllr Mathew Hulbert – In Village Government. (@HulbertMathew) February 14, 2021

One Twitter user wrote: “The comments under this photo really suggest this country hasn’t progressed much since the ’80s. Gay men shouldn’t have to deal with this.”

Another response quipped: “Love all the straight people replying shocked that not everybody settles down with the first boring person they date”.

 

One joked: “Replies to this clearly showing that straight men have no idea about skincare”.

There’s a 24 year age difference between the PM and his current girlfriend, but of course everyone is making awful comments about these two because homophobia.

You both look very happy and make a lovely couple

[Riobard]

He’s many years past university graduation with an accomplished CV. The age difference is approximately 12 years, not 24 years as some of the dumb loser responses suggest. Together since met at age 36-ish and 24-ish respectively. About the Charles-Di gap equivalent without the royally fucked pathology. 

Not that the shade thrown would at all be justified based on consenting adults with any age difference and orientation. 

Social media is its own enduring pandemic. Trolls gonna pan things wherever possible. If you don’t want to draw the inevitable assholes into negative commentary about your personal business, keep it to a bubble as opposed to throngs of anonymous strangers never met. 

[antoinek]

There always will be comments, it is up to us how to take it! I can’t understand why so much reaction on it! 

[Docbr01]

Lucky and beautiful couple! Can’t understand people sharing negative reactions at this day and age! Come on, it’s 2021! 

[Taikonaut]

Lovely couple. Haters gonna hate. just tune them out. 

[sportydude]

stunning couple

[gayinpattaya]

The post attracted dozens of homophobic responses from far-right trolls??

 

-----------------

Really? So all Labour voters are not homophobes? Some people know nothing about the UK. Amazing that a reporter can know every persons political leanings from their social media posts. Magic! 
The northern Labour towns and cities are some of the most homophobic places in the UK. 

Trash reporting from a biased POS. 

[forky123]

I'm sure there are homophobes of all political persuasions. It's not rocket science though to look through people's social media to see their political leaning when they post such drivel. 

[EmmetK]

On 2/15/2021 at 7:36 AM, Lonnie said:

 

 

 “....straight men have no idea about skincare”.

.

And neither do many gay men, including Mr. Pollard:

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2023-04-21/plymouth-mp-luke-pollard-says-cancer-diagnosis-has-put-things-into-perspective

Ironically Mr. Pollard developed skin cancer.

Perhaps the boyfriend should remind him that those Plymouth summers can sometimes be pretty brutal. The sun is not his friend, especially at his age.

[Olddaddy]

The age difference between my Filipino bf is 30 years 

But I got to that stage now where time is limited so I don't care what others think anymore.

In fact I have stopped caring about most things , 20 years left to live I don't have time anymore to be concerned at things that are not that important 

 

[floridarob]

1 hour ago, Olddaddy said:

20 years left to live

I admire your optimism....

[omega]

On 8/23/2023 at 10:32 PM, gayinpattaya said:

The post attracted dozens of homophobic responses from far-right trolls??

 

-----------------

Really? So all Labour voters are not homophobes? Some people know nothing about the UK. Amazing that a reporter can know every persons political leanings from their social media posts. Magic! 
The northern Labour towns and cities are some of the most homophobic places in the UK. 

Trash reporting from a biased POS. 

Most people think the Tories have gone very right wing in recent years... but not many place them as "far right".

[Phoenixblue]

1 hour ago, omega said:

Most people think the Tories have gone very right wing in recent years... but not many place them as "far right".

Tories are not far right yet. Not with an ethnic Hindu as their chief.

[omega]

4 minutes ago, Phoenixblue said:

Tories are not far right yet. Not with an ethnic Hindu as their chief.

Indeed.

Which means that it's not just Labour thats not Far Right

[forky123]

Depends which Tories you mean. Centre Right have pretty much been purged from the Tory party. You have moderates such as Sunak and then a significant far right including many members of the ERG. Overall the Tories are much further right than they should be as are many of their policies.