Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan is a British-American author, blogger, and political commentator known for his influential and often heterodox perspectives on conservatism, LGBT rights, and Catholicism. A pioneering figure in political blogging, he founded the widely read weblog The Daily Dish and has served as an editor for prominent publications including The New Republic and The Atlantic. His career has been marked by a blend of classical liberal principles, Christian thought, and a provocative engagement with contemporary political and cultural debates.

Early life and education

Born in South Godstone, Surrey, he was raised in a devout Roman Catholic family and educated at the independent Roman Catholic boarding school St. Mary's School, Shaftesbury. He subsequently won a scholarship to study modern history and modern languages at Magdalen College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Awarded a Henry Fellowship, he then attended Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in political science, focusing his doctoral work on the political thought of Michael Oakeshott.

Career

His editorial career began at The New Republic, where he served as editor from 1991 to 1996, significantly shaping the magazine's voice during the Clinton administration. He later became a senior editor at The Atlantic and a contributing writer for New York Magazine. A seminal moment in digital media was his founding of the blog The Daily Dish in 2000, which became a central hub for political discourse and a model for the blogosphere, later being hosted by *Time*, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast. He has also been a columnist for The Sunday Times, The Times, and The Washington Post, and has made frequent appearances as a commentator on television networks like CNN and MSNBC.

Political views and commentary

His political philosophy is a distinctive fusion of classical liberal and conservative thought, heavily influenced by thinkers such as Michael Oakeshott and Friedrich Hayek. A prominent advocate for LGBT rights, he authored a landmark 1989 essay for The New Republic arguing for same-sex marriage, a position that often placed him at odds with traditional conservatism and the Catholic Church. He has been a vocal critic of what he terms "woke" ideology and identity politics, arguing they threaten liberal democracy and individual liberty. His foreign policy stance has evolved from initial support for the Iraq War to a more non-interventionist perspective, and he has offered complex commentary on figures including Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and the Republican Party.

Personal life

He is openly gay and has written extensively about his experiences with HIV/AIDS, having been diagnosed as HIV-positive in the 1990s. He entered into a same-sex marriage with his husband in Massachusetts following the state's legalization. His lifelong engagement with Catholicism, despite profound disagreements with Church doctrine on homosexuality, remains a central feature of his personal and intellectual identity. He became a naturalized American citizen in 2002 and has lived primarily in Washington, D.C., and Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Works and publications

He is the author of several books that explore politics, religion, and sexuality. His first book, Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality (1995), critiqued both liberal and conservative positions on gay rights. Love Undetectable: Notes on Friendship, Sex, and Survival (1998) reflected on AIDS, friendship, and theology. His political commentary is collected in The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It, How to Get It Back (2006) and The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life (2006). A memoir, Out on a Limb: Selected Writing, 1989–2021, was published in 2022.