Jason Virgo won a first state-level election for a rural district in South Australia as a member of One Nation. In his first parliamentary speech, he said he had been openly gay throughout his adult life and described his relationship with a man born in Indonesia who is now a proud Australian. Virgo previously served on the Mount Gambier city council and had earlier political involvement with the Australian Sex Party and the Labor Party. He helped organize a rally for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia in 2011. After joining One Nation, he resigned from his city council seat following his March 2026 election win.
"“The reality is I have been openly gay throughout my entire adult life,” he said, becoming emotional as he explained that he was in a relationship with a man who was “born in Indonesia, a Muslim, and is now a proud Australian.”"
"Virgo has been in politics for several years, serving on the city council of Mount Gambier, Australia (population 27,000), since 2023. He was part of the pro-sex industry party, the Australian Sex Party, in 2013, and the center-left Labor Party in the past. In 2011, he helped organize a rally for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, which faced protests from Christian conservatives."
"But now he's a part of the One Nation party, founded in 2015 on a platform of opposition to multiculturalism, immigration (especially Asian immigration), climate action, reproductive freedom, “critical race theory,” and economic liberalism. The party does not have an official stance on marriage equality, although many members oppose it."
"Virgo said that people were spreading rumors of him being gay during his campaign, recounting how one “lovely woman” called his campaign to tell him “that people were going around the electorate telling people I was gay.”"
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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