MP says boyfriend interpreted abuse over Valentine’s Day photo as ‘racist as well as anti-gay’
Exclusive: "Sydney is half-Chinese, and quite a lot of the abuse he interpreted as not only homophobic, but racist. They're talking about: 'Look how young he looks'"
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: @LukePollard/Instagram
Labour MP Luke Pollard has reflected on the abusive reaction he and his boyfriend received after posting a romantic picture together to mark Valentine’s Day last year.
The politician opens up about the matter in the Attitude May/June issue, out now.
The reaction to the picture of 42-year-old Pollard and his partner Sydney made headlines at the time, with trolls focusing on their perceived age gap, with some saying “love a father and son photo” and “I’m calling Childline.”
“Valentine’s Day should be about love”
“What’s interesting is because Sydney is half-Chinese, quite a lot of the abuse he interprets as not only homophobic, but racist,” explained Pollard, the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Davenport. “They’re talking about: Look how young he looks.”
Pollard continued: “Valentine’s Day should be about love. If people in the public eye can’t be themselves, what hope do the kids growing up around the corner from us here have?”
Of the abuse faced by politicians, the Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces added: “If you’re a woman, of from the LGBTQ+ community, you’ll get more of it. But I feel lucky in that I get less abise than many of my colleagues – in particular my female colleagues. P
“People threaten to abuse and kill them in hideous ways on a daily basis.”
The Attitude May/June issue is out now.
