Paul John O’Neill is a Labour councillor for North Heywood. He is also a gay man with a dating life — a fact some people apparently considered grounds for demanding his resignation.
Images and details from O’Neill’s Grindr profile were shared online, accompanied by comments suggesting that a public figure should be more discreet and calls for him to quit ( PinkNews ).
O’Neill responded with a photograph of himself holding a pint of Murphy’s and a joke about being “not bitter.” He said people had created accounts on the dating app to find his profile, screenshot it and circulate it with unpleasant comments.
His position was straightforward: he is not ashamed of having a social and dating life, and it has no bearing on the work he does for his ward.
Private life is not a qualification test
This is not a story about outing someone who was hiding his sexuality. O’Neill is openly gay. It is a story about people treating a gay man’s private dating life as if it were evidence that he is unfit for public office.
That standard makes no sense. Councillors can be judged on their decisions, their responsiveness and the way they serve their communities. A profile on a dating app tells voters none of those things.
O’Neill also said he is single and joked that the episode might result in a date or two. The humour is welcome, but the underlying point matters more: gay men should not have to make themselves invisible to be treated as serious professionals.
A refusal to be shamed
Supporters, including fellow councillors and members of the public, pushed back against the attempt to turn ordinary private life into a political weapon.
O’Neill’s pint-and-boundary response lands because it refuses the premise. There is no apology needed for being gay, having a dating life or expecting basic privacy.
📷 Paul John O’Neill / Facebook
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