{{Short description|Movement within conservatism among LGBTQ people}} {{about|conservative politics among LGBTQ people|the LGBTQ wing of the British Conservative Party|LGBT+ Conservatives}} {{Use American English|date=September 2024}} {{Multiple issues| {{Unfocused|date=April 2024}} {{Essay|date=September 2010}} {{Update|date=August 2024}} }} {{LGBTQ sidebar|fields}} {{conservatism sidebar|related ideologies}}{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} '''LGBTQ conservatism''' refers to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) individuals with conservative political views.
== History == {{See also|LGBTQ conservatism in the United States#History}}
=== Before the Stonewall riots ===
==== France ==== In 1791, Louis-Michel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau presented a new criminal code to the National Constituent Assembly.<ref name=":0">"Livre III ... du code pénal" Choix de rapports, opinions et discours prononcés à la tribune nationale (in French). VI. Paris: A. Eymery. 1819. p. 320. Retrieved March 31, 2008.</ref> The code did not list crimes associated with homosexuality, thereby removing criminal penalties for those acts.
In 1810, a new criminal code was issued under Napoleon which continued to exclude provisions criminalizing homosexuality.
==== Portugal ==== In 1852, under the government of the Duke of Saldanha, a Cartista, same-sex sexual intercourse was legalized throughout Portugal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://glapn.org/sodomylaws/ |title=Sodomylaws.org |publisher=Sodomylaws.org |access-date=October 5, 2013}}</ref>
==== Germany ==== On 25 June 1969, shortly before the end of a Christian Democratic Union-Social Democratic Party coalition government led by Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger, Paragraph 175, which criminalized male same-sex sexual intercourse, was amended. "Qualified" offenses—sexual acts with a male under 21, homosexual prostitution, and exploitation of a relationship of dependency—remained.
==== United Kingdom ==== On 24 February 1954, Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated during a Cabinet meeting that the Conservative Party would not support making laws more lenient toward homosexual men, though he suggested an inquiry and limited press reporting of such cases.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2007/08/06/archives-reveal-churchills-cabinet-discussed-gays/|title=Archives reveal Churchill's Cabinet discussed gays|newspaper=PinkNews}}</ref>
In 1957, following increasing prosecutions, the Conservative government commissioned the Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (Wolfenden Committee). Its report recommended decriminalizing consensual homosexual acts between adults in private and strengthening laws against public sexual conduct and street prostitution.<ref name="Homosexual Offences and Prostitution 1957">{{cite web|url=http://sas-space.sas.ac.uk/4824/17/05Waites_UKConfrontingCriminalStories.pdf|title=UNITED KINGDOM: CONFRONTING CRIMINAL HISTORIES }}</ref>
In May 1965, Arthur Gore, 8th Earl of Arran introduced a bill in the House of Lords to decriminalize male same-sex sexual intercourse in England and Wales. Amendments added a more restrictive standard of privacy than for heterosexual behavior, including prohibitions on acts involving more than two people or occurring in public lavatories. The bill later entered the House of Commons under closeted homosexual Conservative MP Humphrey Berkeley and, after Berkeley lost his seat in the 1966 United Kingdom general election, was taken up by Labour Party MP Leo Abse.<ref name="Homosexual Offences and Prostitution 1957" />
The Sexual Offences Act 1967 passed under a Labour government, partially decriminalizing consensual same-sex acts between adults in private in England and Wales. A minority of Conservative MPs voted in favor, including future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/08/margaret-thatcher-s-legacy-on-gay-rights|title=Margaret Thatcher's Legacy on Gay Rights|first=Tom|last=Doran|newspaper=The Daily Beast|date=April 8, 2013|via=www.thedailybeast.com}}</ref>
In 2007, Brian Coleman wrote that London police in the mid-1950s were allegedly aware of future Prime Minister Edward Heath's involvement in cottaging and warned him due to potential career impact. Coleman also asserted that gay men held significant positions within the London Conservative Party during that era.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/edward-heath-britains-forgotten-mysterious-prime-minister-1316889|title=Edward Heath: Britain's Forgotten And Mysterious Prime Minister|date=June 21, 2013|work=International Business Times}}</ref>
Robert Boothby, a Conservative politician, was known within political circles to be homosexual.<ref name="Homosexual Offences and Prostitution 1957" />
==== Argentina ==== In 1887, during the period known as the Conservative Republic ({{langx|es|República Conservadora}}), same-sex sexual intercourse was legalized throughout Argentina.<ref>{{cite web|title= A world survey of laws: Criminalisation, protection and recognition of same-sex law|first1= Paoli Itaborahy|last1= Lucas|first2= Jingshu|last2= Zhu|publisher= International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association|date= May 2013|url= http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130717085454/http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2013.pdf|archive-date= July 17, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== After the Stonewall riots ===
==== United Kingdom ==== In 1975, the Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality (CGHE) was founded by Peter Walter Campbell.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voice1nthecrowd.blogspot.com/2014/10/peter-campbell-conservative-party.html|title=The Dissident: Peter Campbell, the Conservative Party Paedophile behind Gay Marriage|first=Tony|last=Aster|date=October 19, 2014}}</ref>
In 1980, during the First Thatcher ministry, the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 was enacted, legalizing same-sex sexual intercourse in Scotland.
In 1991, the CGHE reformed at the Conservative Party Conference as the Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality (TORCHE) and remained active until its disbandment in 2004.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mqjmAgAAQBAJ&q=1991+Tory+Campaign+for+Homosexual+Equality&pg=PT368|title=Queering Religion, Religious Queers|first1=Yvette|last1=Taylor|first2=Ria|last2=Snowdon|date=February 18, 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-01376-9|via=Google Books}}</ref>
In 2007, Brian Coleman wrote in the ''New Statesman'' that many gay politicians in the Conservative Party became active during the Thatcher era.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/brian-coleman/2007/06/lady-thatcher-gay-tory |title=Thatcher the gay icon |last=Coleman |first=Brian |date=June 25, 2007 |website=New Statesman |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201170446/http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/brian-coleman/2007/06/lady-thatcher-gay-tory |archive-date=December 1, 2008}}</ref>
On 5 October 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron stated at a Conservative Party conference that he supported same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite news |last=guardian.co.uk |date=October 5, 2011 |title=David Cameron's Conservative party conference speech in full |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/oct/05/david-cameron-conservative-party-speech |newspaper=The Guardian |via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref>
During the passage of the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013, voting among Conservative MPs was divided.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 5, 2013 |title=MP-by-MP: Gay marriage vote |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21346694 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill — Third Reading — 21 May 2013 |url=http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2013-05-21&number=11&display=allpossible |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028111403/http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2013-05-21&number=11&display=allpossible |archive-date=October 28, 2014 |access-date=June 10, 2023 |website=The Public Whip}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=June 4, 2013 |title=Lords Divisions results |url=http://www.parliament.uk/Templates/LordsDivisions/Pages/LordsDivisions.aspx?id=51023&epslanguage=en&date=2013-Jun-04&itemId=1&session=2013-May-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102175402/http://www.parliament.uk/Templates/LordsDivisions/Pages/LordsDivisions.aspx?id=51023&epslanguage=en&date=2013-Jun-04&itemId=1&session=2013-May-08 |archive-date=November 2, 2013 |access-date=June 10, 2023 |website=UK Parliament}}</ref><ref name="timetable">{{cite news |year=2013 |title=Bill stages — Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2012–13 to 2013–14 |url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/marriagesamesexcouplesbill/stages.html |access-date=June 26, 2013 |publisher=UK Parliament}}</ref>
==== Ireland ==== On 24 June 2004, Fine Gael proposed legal recognition of civil partnerships for opposite-sex and same-sex couples, the first Irish political party to do so.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 24, 2004 |title=FG proposes civil partnership rights |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0624/51586-gay/ |website=RTÉ.ie}}</ref>
In November 2004, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern stated that equality for couples should be addressed while noting that legalizing same-sex marriage remained distant.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 15, 2004 |title='Better rights' for gay couples |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4012713.stm |via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>
During the 2004 Irish presidential election, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Progressive Democrats expressed support for forms of recognition for same-sex couples.
During the 2007 Irish general election, the manifestos of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Progressive Democrats supported civil unions for same-sex couples, and all three parties advertised in ''Gay Community News''.
In 2010, Ógra Fianna Fáil announced support for same-sex marriage. In July 2011, Young Fine Gael publicly supported same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yfg.ie/newsevents/press/298-young-fg-propose-the-recognition-of-marriage-for-same-sex-couples|title=Young FG Propose the Recognition of Marriage for Same Sex Couples|date=August 27, 2011|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827132123/http://www.yfg.ie/newsevents/press/298-young-fg-propose-the-recognition-of-marriage-for-same-sex-couples|archive-date=August 27, 2011}}</ref>
On 3 March 2012, Fianna Fáil endorsed same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glen.ie/news-post.aspx?contentid=4978 |title=Fianna Fail Ard Fheis Supports Same Sex Marriage |date=March 3, 2012 |website=GLEN |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523054236/http://www.glen.ie/news-post.aspx?contentid=4978 |archive-date=May 23, 2015}}</ref> On 5 November 2013, Fine Gael formally supported same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/government-to-call-for-yes-vote-for-gay-marriage-29728937.html|title=Government to call for Yes vote for gay marriage – Independent.ie|date=November 5, 2013 }}</ref>
On 22 May 2015, the Thirty-Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland (Marriage Equality) was approved by referendum. The referendum was held under a Fine Gael–Labour coalition government.
==== Iraq ==== On 21 April 2003, following the removal of the Ba'athist government, the Coalition Provisional Authority reinstated a revised 1988 penal code, resulting in the legalization of same-sex sexual intercourse.
==== Botswana ==== In 2010, the government led by the Botswana Democratic Party amended the Employment Act to prohibit dismissal on the basis of sexual orientation or HIV status.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irinnews.org/report/90437/botswana-amendment-to-end-dismissal-based-on-hiv-status|title=Amendment to end dismissal based on HIV status|date=September 9, 2010}}</ref>
==== Germany ==== In April 2023, the Christian Social Union in Bavaria endorsed same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/bayern/csu-grundsatzprogramm-ehe-fuer-alle-aber-keine-gender-sternchen-so-will-die-csu-bayern-vereinen-id66161906.html|work=Augsburger Allgemeine|title=Ehe für alle, aber keine Gender-Sternchen: So will die CSU Bayern vereinen|language=de|date=14 April 2023|last=Stern|first=Henry}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mainpost.de/ueberregional/bayern/nein-zum-gendersternchen-akzeptanz-der-ehe-fuer-alle-schweinfurterin-hat-grossen-anteil-am-neuen-csu-grundsatzprogramm-art-11103031|title=Nein zum Gendersternchen, Akzeptanz der "Ehe für alle": Schweinfurterin hat großen Anteil am neuen CSU-Grundsatzprogramm|date=14 April 2023|language=de|last=Stern|first=Henry|work=Main Post}}</ref> In May 2024, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany expressed support for same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jetzt.de/lgbtq/75-jahre-cdu-cdu-entdeckt-die-ehe-fuer-alle-fuer-sich|work=Süddeutsche Zeitung Jetzt|title=75 Jahre CDU: CDU entdeckt die Ehe für alle für sich|language=de|date=27 June 2020}}</ref><ref>[https://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=49428 Queer.de: Neues CDU-Programm: Für die Ehe für alle, gegen "Identitätspolitik"]</ref><ref>[https://schwulissimo.de/neuigkeiten/grundsatzprogramm-der-cdu-180-gradwende-bei-der-politik-fuer-homosexuelle Schwulissimo.de: Klares Bekenntnis zur Ehe für alle und für LGBTI*-Gleichberechtigung]</ref>
== By country ==
=== Australia === {{See also|Liberal Pride}}
=== Brazil === Clodovil Hernandes, a member of the Christian Labour Party and later the Party of the Republic, is regarded as the first openly gay member of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies. He served until his death in 2009.
On January 16, 2017, Marcelo Crivella, mayor of Rio de Janeiro, appointed Nélio Georgini, an openly gay evangelical conservative, to lead the city’s LGBTQ council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lgbtbrasil.com.br/Noticias/411/1/Crivella-nomeia-gay-%E2%80%9Cevangelico%E2%80%9D-para-pasta-em-defesa-de-LGBT|title=Crivella nomeia gay "evangélico" para pasta em defesa de LGBT|website=lgbtbrasil.com.br|access-date=July 3, 2017|archive-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810212213/http://lgbtbrasil.com.br/Noticias/411/1/Crivella-nomeia-gay-%E2%80%9Cevangelico%E2%80%9D-para-pasta-em-defesa-de-LGBT|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In the 2018 Brazilian presidential runoff, according to Datafolha, 30% of LGBTQ voters supported right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro. The significant share of LGBTQ support for Bolsonaro drew attention in Brazilian media due to his socially conservative, anti-LGBTQ positions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lgbtq-brazilians-edge-after-self-described-homophobic-lawmaker-elected-president-n925726|title=LGBTQ Brazilians on edge after self-described 'homophobic' lawmaker elected president|first=Zoe|last=Sullivan|date=October 29, 2018|website=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bulgarelli|first=Lucas|date=October 27, 2018|title=Análisis {{!}} Por que 29% dos LGBTs votam em Bolsonaro?|url=https://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2018/10/27/opinion/1540592921_823943.html|access-date=July 28, 2021|website=EL PAÍS|language=pt-br}}</ref>
=== Canada === LGBTory was established in 2015 as an organization for LGBTQ supporters of the Conservative Party of Canada and provincial conservative parties. Prior to its formation, smaller informal groups existed in some Canadian cities and online.
Several openly gay figures have been associated with conservative parties at the federal or provincial level, including Scott Brison and Lorne Mayencourt. Other politicians, such as Keith Norton, Phil Gillies, and Heward Grafftey, disclosed their sexual orientation after leaving office, while Richard Hatfield was publicly identified as gay posthumously.<ref name=globe>"Gay politicians come out of the closet and into the cabinet". ''The Globe and Mail'', November 13, 2009.</ref> Many of these individuals have been associated with the Red Tory tradition, a moderate to progressive strand of Canadian conservatism. Brison left the Progressive Conservative Party to join the Liberal Party after the PCs merged with the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party of Canada.
In 2015, LGBTory organized the first official participation by federal Conservative MPs and Ontario Progressive Conservative MPPs in Toronto's Pride parade.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/06/29/tory-mpp-lisa-macleod-rejects-anti-pride-comments-from-ottawa-radio-host.html |title=Tory MPP Lisa MacLeod rejects anti-Pride comments from Ottawa radio host |website=Toronto Star |last=Brennan |first=Richard J |date=June 29, 2015 |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630062455/https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/06/29/tory-mpp-lisa-macleod-rejects-anti-pride-comments-from-ottawa-radio-host.html |archive-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref> In 2016, interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose became the first leader of the federal party to march in the Toronto Pride Parade, joined by other MPs.
In 2019, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Deputy Premier Christine Elliott, and cabinet ministers Caroline Mulroney and Stephen Lecce marched in the York Region Pride Parade, marking the first time a sitting conservative Ontario premier participated in a Pride event. Eric Duncan became the first openly gay Conservative MP elected in 2019, and Melissa Lantsman became the first openly lesbian Conservative MP elected in 2021.
=== Chile === In 2014, the doctrinal council of the conservative National Renewal voted 72.3% to reject a proposal that would have advocated limiting marriage and adoption to heterosexual couples.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movilh.cl/consejo-doctrinario-de-rn-rechaza-limitar-idea-de-famiia-al-matrimonio-heterosexual/|title=Consejo doctrinario de RN rechaza limitar idea de familia al matrimonio heterosexual}}</ref>
=== European Union === Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum, including conservatives, have formed the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.
=== Denmark === The previous leader of the Conservative People's Party in Denmark, Søren Pape Poulsen, was openly gay.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Conservative leader: 'I'm gay, so what?'|url=https://www.thelocal.dk/20140813/conservative-leader-im-gay-so-what|access-date=July 28, 2021|newspaper=The Local Denmark|date=August 13, 2014 }}</ref>
=== France === {{Update|section|date=August 2024}} A 2013 IFOP survey found that the political preferences of LGBTQ people in France were broadly similar to those of the general population.
{| class="wikitable sortable" font-size:80%;" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" |+ style="font-size:100%" | 2013 IFOP survey on French LGBTQ people's political support by party<ref name="Political position of gays after the enactment of the act marriage for all">{{cite web |title=Google Translate |url=https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=fr&u=http://www.ifop.com/media/pressdocument/640-1-document_file.pdf&usg=ALkJrhgx5A9Jl_MIQFgiDX7mz0ZN3xkS3w#5 |website=translate.googleusercontent.com}}</ref> ! Affiliation ! colspan="2"|% of French LGBTQ people |- | '''Total''' || {{bartable|100||2||background:grey}} |- | Right-wing parties |align=right| {{bartable|36||2||background:blue}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| Gaullist parties |align=right| {{bartable|21||2||background:blue}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| Union for a Popular Movement |align=right| {{bartable|14||2||background:blue}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| Union of Democrats and Independents |align=right| {{bartable|6||2||background:blue}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| Other |align=right| {{bartable|1||2||background:blue}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| National Front |align=right| {{bartable|15||2||background:blue}} |- | Left-wing parties |align=right| {{bartable|36||2||background:red}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| Socialist Party |align=right| {{bartable|27||2||background:red}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| Europe Ecology – The Greens |align=right| {{bartable|6||2||background:red}} |- | style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| Other |align=right| {{bartable|3||2||background:red}} |- |}
=== Germany === In Germany the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) since 2020 and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) in Bavaria since 2023 support Same-sex marriages. In 2020, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) published a political video supporting same-sex marriage and families,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jetzt.de/lgbtq/75-jahre-cdu-cdu-entdeckt-die-ehe-fuer-alle-fuer-sich|work=Süddeutsche Zeitung Jetzt|title=75 Jahre CDU: CDU entdeckt die Ehe für alle für sich|language=de|date=June 27, 2020}}</ref> and in 2023 the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) adopted a party platform supporting same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/bayern/csu-grundsatzprogramm-ehe-fuer-alle-aber-keine-gender-sternchen-so-will-die-csu-bayern-vereinen-id66161906.html|work=Augsburger Allgemeine|title=Ehe für alle, aber keine Gender-Sternchen: So will die CSU Bayern vereinen|language=de|date=April 14, 2023|last=Stern|first=Henry}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mainpost.de/ueberregional/bayern/nein-zum-gendersternchen-akzeptanz-der-ehe-fuer-alle-schweinfurterin-hat-grossen-anteil-am-neuen-csu-grundsatzprogramm-art-11103031|title=Nein zum Gendersternchen, Akzeptanz der "Ehe für alle": Schweinfurterin hat großen Anteil am neuen CSU-Grundsatzprogramm|date=April 14, 2023|language=de|last=Stern|first=Henry|work=Main Post}}</ref> As of 2023, the right wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) remains the largest party opposed to same-sex marriage and supports only civil partnerships. Conversely, the leader of the AfD Alice Weidel is an open lesbian and lives in a civil partnership with two children.<ref>[https://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/plus246126986/AfD-Eine-lesbische-Kanzlerkandidatin-und-niemand-in-der-Queer-Community-freut-sich.html Welt.de: Ein lesbische Kanzlerkandidatin], July 5, 2023</ref><ref>[https://kurier.at/politik/ausland/alice-weidel-jung-lesbisch-und-sehr-weit-rechts/287.157.550 Kurier.at: Jung, lesbisch und sehr weit rechts], September 20, 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/bundestagswahl/alice-weidel-steht-zu-ihrer-homosexualitaet-15208786.html FAZ.net: Alice Weidel steht zu ihrer Homosexualität], September 20, 2017</ref>
=== Netherlands === Much of the Dutch right wing (including figures such as Geert Wilders) has evolved to include LGBTQ rights platforms which do not conflict with the current status quo but also embrace an increased perturbation to supposed threats from minority religions (especially Islam) which, in their view, threaten to upend the vestiges of the liberalism and tolerance which has been associated with the Dutch social climate.
The former political party the Pim Fortuyn List supported LGBTQ rights, and its leader and namesake Pim Fortuyn was openly gay.
=== Russia === {{See also|Gays for Putin!}}
=== Sweden === The Open Moderates is the LGBT-organisation of the Moderate Party in Sweden. The Open Moderates is an organization for everyone that shares the values of the Moderate Party and who believe that LGBT-issues are important political issues to work with from a center-right perspective.
The origin of the Open Moderates is the Stockholm-based club "Gay Moderates" that was formed already in the late 1970s. That club had mostly social activities and it was active upon until the mid-1990s. A new generation took over and reorganized the Gay Moderates as a new more political network to lobby the Moderate Party. In 2003 the name was changed to the current Open Moderates to signal that the organization is open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation that want to work with LGBTQ political issues.
In recent years, the national conservative Sweden Democrats party has softened its stance on LGBTQ rights and same-sex parenting with party leader Jimmie Åkesson suggesting in 2018 that the party would rewrite its program for the first time to include LGBTQ related issues. One of the SD's legislators and spokesmen Bo Broman is homosexual.
The conservative Citizens' Coalition leader Ilan Sadé is openly gay.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Varför portas Medborgerlig Samling från Pride|url=https://www.dagenssamhalle.se/debatt/varfor-portas-medborgerlig-samling-fran-pride-23120|language=sv}}</ref>
=== United Kingdom === {{Update|section|date=August 2024}} In April 2015, PinkNews found 26% of British LGBTQ people supported the Conservative and Unionist Party, a 5% increase from the last election in 2010, 26% support the Labour Party, a 2% decrease from the last election in 2010, 19% support the Liberal Democrats, a 21% decrease from the last election in 2010, 20% support the Green Party of England and Wales/Scottish Green Party/Green Party in Northern Ireland, a 16% increase from the last election in 2010, and 2% supported the UK Independence Party. This is the first time in the 10 years that PinkNews has polled the LGBTQ community that the Conservatives led the survey of voting intentions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/23/tories-level-labour-gay-vote|title=Tories draw level with Labour in winning gay vote|first=André|last=Rhoden-Paul|newspaper=The Guardian |date=March 23, 2015|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref>
The first LGBTQ Conservative group was called CGHE (Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality). That group was reconstituted at the Conservative party Conference in 1991 and was renamed TORCHE (the Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality). This group was active until 2003. Some years later, LGBTory was formed. LGBTory has an active membership often organized using its Facebook groups and pages and attends vigils and LGBTQ Pride events across the UK including Pride London, Pride Scotia, Leeds Pride, Manchester Pride, Doncaster Pride and Brighton Pride.
LGBTory campaigned in seats throughout the campaign for the May 6, 2010, general election. There are now at least 12 openly gay and lesbian Conservative MPs in Parliament.
LGBTory, now{{When|date=March 2024}} renamed to LGBT+ Conservatives, works to promote LGBTQ equality within the Conservative Party and generally across the UK, actively campaigning against the Gay Blood Ban and for marriage equality, regardless of sexuality or gender identity.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
The UK Independence Party has an officially recognized LGBTQ in UKIP campaigning group which is active on the social media sites Twitter and Facebook. It has been represented at the party's annual conference.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/09/25/ukip-approves-internal-lgbt-campaign-group/|title=UKIP approves internal LGBT campaign group|first=Scott|last=Roberts|work=PinkNews|date=September 25, 2012|access-date=December 23, 2014}}</ref> Peter Whittle of the UKIP was the only LGBTQ candidate in the 2016 London Assembly election; afterwards, he was selected as the UKIP's deputy leader.
=== United States === {{Main|LGBTQ conservatism in the United States}}
{{See also|Gays for Trump|Log Cabin Republicans}}
== Notable LGBTQ conservatives == === Lesbian === {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *Angie Bell *Ana Brnabić *Alice Weidel *Tammy Bruce *Jodeen Carney *Mary Cheney *Ruth Davidson *Radclyffe Hall<ref>{{Cite web|last1= Rothon |first1= Robert |url = https://xtramagazine.com/culture/remembering-radclyffe-hall-12723 | title = Remembering Radclyffe Hall| publisher = Xtra Magazine | date = July 1, 2009}}</ref> *Melissa Lantsman *Jacqui Munro *Nancy Ruth *Anne Marie Waters *Alison Esposito *Gertrude Stein *Anne Lister *Helen Dale *Bari Weiss<ref>{{cite web |date=October 6, 2025 |title=Conservative writer Bari Weiss named editor-in-chief of CBS News |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/6/conservative-writer-bari-weiss-named-editor-in-chief-of-cbs-news |access-date=October 6, 2025 |website=Al Jazeera}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=October 6, 2025 |title=MAGA-Lite: What "Bari Weiss Conservatism" Is, and Why It's Dangerous |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/201401/bari-weiss-cbs-news-conservatism-maga-lite |access-date=October 6, 2025 |website=The New Republic}}</ref> {{div col end}}
=== Gay men === {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *Fernando Holiday *Clodovil Hernandes *Francis Bacon<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lybarger|first=Jeremy|title=The Turbulent Life of Francis Bacon|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/161956/turbulent-life-francis-bacon-biography-reviewc|magazine=The New Republic|date=21 April 2021|quote= Bacon was a conservative at heart—when drunk, he’d sometimes lambaste poor people for their supposed weakness—but his art, as channeled through his queerness, cast a critical, if oblique, eye on the prevailing culture.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Brown|first=Neal|title=Francis Bacon|url=https://www.frieze.com/article/francis-bacon-0|journal=Frieze|date=5 May 1998|quote=Bacon's often very beautiful, grandee swirlings and sexualised skidmarks of paint are depictive of certain principal categories of subject. These are either other right-wing libertines like himself, or suicides and alcoholics – alcoholics, of course, just being suicides in slow motion. }}</ref> *Guy Benson *Scott Bessent *Bruno Bilde *Peter Boykin *Steeve Briois *Bo Broman *David Bull *Neil Brown *Renaud Camus *Sébastien Chenu *Iain Dale *Don Dobie *Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres *Jack Donovan *Eric Duncan *Trevor Evans *Kenny Everett *Pim Fortuyn *Peter Gibson *Gilbert & George *Kay Gottschalk *Richard Grenell *Darren Grimes *Gerald Grosz *Mark Harbers *Don Harwin *Chris Janssens *Roger Karoutchi *Liberace<ref>{{Cite web|last1= Kelly |first1= Jon |url = https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22099082 | title = What Liberace reveals about the march of gay rights| publisher = BBC News | date = 16 April 2013}}</ref> *Shayne Mallard *Nico Marchetti *José María Marco *Javier Maroto *Joe McCracken *Ken Mehlman *Deroy Murdock *Douglas Murray *Andy Ngo *Amir Ohana *Andrew Olexander *Matthew Parris *Florian Philippot *Søren Pape Poulsen *Chris Rath *Jeremy Roberts<ref>{{Cite web|last1= Roberts |first1= Jeremy |url = https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/roberts-coming-out-while-in-politics-has-been-both-positive-and-liberating | title = Roberts: Coming out while in politics has been both positive and liberating| publisher = Ottawa Citizen | date = March 15, 2022 | access-date = March 15, 2022}}</ref> *Lee Rowley *Dave Rubin *George Santos *Dean Smith *Jens Spahn *Norman St John-Stevas *Brandon Straka<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nypost.com/2019/06/15/former-democrat-turned-conservative-gay-rights-activist-slams-pride-sues-lgbt-center/ |title=Former Democrat turned conservative gay rights activist slams Pride, sues LGBT Center |last=Lewak |first=Doree |date=June 15, 2019 |website=The New York Post |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616013855/https://nypost.com/2019/06/15/former-democrat-turned-conservative-gay-rights-activist-slams-pride-sues-lgbt-center/ |archive-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref> *David Starkey *Andrew Sullivan *Jean-Philippe Tanguy *Philipp Tanzer *Peter Thiel *Tomas Tobé *Leo Varadkar *Hans-Ueli Vogt *Peter Whittle *Tim Wilson *Joop Wijn *Lucian Wintrich *Dan Wootton *William Wragg *Michael Yabsley *Rokas Žilinskas *Trent Zimmerman {{div col end}}
=== Bisexual === {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *Tobias Billström *Cherie Currie *Dehenna Davison *Michael Fabricant *Jeromy Farkas *Michael Huffington *Daniel Kawczynski *Jack Kerouac<ref>{{cite magazine |last= Kauffman|first= Bill|date=July 7, 2022|title= Who was the most right-wing member of the Beat Generation?|url=https://thespectator.com/life/right-wing-abbeys-beats-beat-generation/ |magazine=The Spectator |quote=The gentle Catholic-Buddhist Jack Kerouac, spontaneous-bop prosody prince of the Old Right, has the strongest claim. In 1952, shortly after finishing the novel that would be published five years later as On the Road, he argued for Robert Taft, “Mr. Republican,” for president, while his pal Allen Ginsberg was puffing up Cold Warrior and son of a robber baron Averell Harriman. }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last= Kulawik|first= Chris|date=March 7, 2009|title= Kerouac, the Unexpected Right-Winger|url=https://www.columbiaspectator.com/2007/03/07/kerouac-unexpected-right-winger|work=Columbia Daily Spectator |quote=His New York Times obituary recalls a man who had "no use for the radical politics that came to preoccupy many of his friends and readers." "I'm not a beatnik. I'm a Catholic," he mused as he directed the interviewer to a picture of Pope Paul VI. "You know who painted that?" Kerouac asked. "Me." Perhaps we've misunderstood him all along.}}</ref> *Thomas Mann *Yukio Mishima *Enoch Powell *Amber Rose *Sebastian Tynkkynen *Evelyn Waugh {{div col end}}
=== Transgender === {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *Caitlyn Jenner<ref>{{Cite news|title=Caitlyn Jenner says she gets more 'flak' for being a Republican than trans|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/02/19/people-give-caitlyn-jenner-flak-about-being-republican/80599668/|last=Jensen|first=Erin|date=February 19, 2016|work=USA Today}}</ref> *Nikki Sinclaire *Blaire White *Katie Wallis *Jessica Marie Watkins *Buck Angel *Jennell Jaquays *Bubba Copeland {{div col end}}
=== In fiction === {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *Creek, from ''South Park'' {{div col end}}
== List of organizations == Some organizations include: * Gay Voter's League (not active since 1981) – linked to the Republican Party (United States) * Gays for Trump – linked to the Republican Party (United States) * GayLib – linked to the Union for a Popular Movement, Union of Democrats and Independents and Radical Movement (France) * GOProud (dissolved in 2014) – linked to the Republican Party (United States) * Liberal Pride – linked to Liberal Party of Australia (Australia) * Likud Pride – linked to Likud (Israel) * LGBTory – linked to the Conservative Party of Canada/Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (Canada) * LGBT+ Conservatives (formerly known as LGBTory) – linked to the Conservative Party (United Kingdom) * Log Cabin Republicans – linked to the Republican Party (United States) * Open Moderates (originally called Gay Moderates) – linked to the Moderate Party (Sweden) * Republican Unity Coalition (not active since 2003) – linked to the Republican Party (United States) * Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality (originally called the Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality) – linked to the Conservative Party (United Kingdom)
== See also == {{Portal|LGBTQ|Politics}} * LGBTQ movements * Progressive conservatism * Log Cabin Republicans * Gays Against Groomers
== References == {{reflist}}
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Category:LGBTQ conservatism Category:LGBTQ politics Category:LGBTQ and society