Men searching Grindr for a hookup in New York City got a message of a different kind on election day: “VOTE TODAY: COREY JOHNSON FOR NYC COUNCIL!”
The gay geosocial app that matches gay, bi and “curious” men, as Grindr puts it, with other like-minded men in the area was flooded with banners today urging users to vote for New York City Council candidate Corey Johnson.
The politician is running as a Democratic candidate for New York City Council District 3, which includes the West and Greenwich villaged, SoHo, Flatiron, Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton and Columbus Circle.
His campaign claimed to know nothing about the Grindr ad. His campaign manager, RJ Jordan, said he has no idea who might have sponsored the ad.
“That’s great news if you’re on Grindr,” he told Metro.
Johnson first entered the limelight in 2000, when he was a 17-year-old high school football captain in Massachusetts; both the New York Times and Sports Illustrated wrote about his decision to come out as gay to his teammates, and he quickly became known as a face for gay youth in America.
Johnson has made a name for himself as a gay activist. He organized demonstrations for marriage equality and worked at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council. He has also publicly revealed that he is HIV positive.
Johnson tweeted a photo today of himself with noted gay advocate Andy Cohen, who voted for Johnson.