French gay magazine Tetu has decided to cut ties with its latest "Mister Gay" after a series of racist comments posted on his Facebook page.
Matthieu Chartraire, 22, elected "Mr Gay May" by Tetu's online readers, shared a video showing a white woman being assaulted by a black man, with the comment "This is why I would vote for FN," France's extreme-right (and anti-gay) party.
The magazine issued a statement on its social media platforms to condemn Chartraire's political views, saying "The fight against homophobia can't be separated from the fight against any other form of discrimination."
However, Chartraire will still be able to compete for the title of Mister Gay 2014, in December. "It's in his right to vote for FN, even if we don't share his beliefs," said Tetu editor-in-chief Yannick Barbe in a Facebook reply. "This is a beauty pageant, and our readers' vote was only based on a single criterion! He only stands for himself, and certainly not for the gay community. (Excluding him) would be censorship, and the best way to victimize him."
