Homosexual Politicians

[kitty]

Title says it all. I realized lately, that there are a few and I thought, why not showing em off.

I start of with my favorite gay politician, Major of Berlin (my hometown! ) Klaus Wowereit:



(Klaus Wowereit to the left, on the right is Boyfriend)

He is friggin'ly famous for his entrance sentence into the job, which was: "I am gay, and that’s a good thing."

Being in Australia, a female politician named Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water comes to mind:



Apart from being the first openly gay member of the australian cabinet, she is also the first asian-born minister in Australia.

Looking over the ocean, I see Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee:



He is famous for dealing with problems such as LGTB rights, abortion, use of medical majihuana and other tricky subjects.

To stay in the States, Paula Aboud, Member of the Arizona Senate is another one:



That's the one I could remember... if anyone has more, I think it's kind of exciting to see the world's goverments from that perspective. Hell yeah.

[The Sonar Chicken]

Hmmm... while I'm glad that yeah, more governments have started to accept LBGT(not Intersexual) people, shouldn't a politician's qualifications and capabilities come first?

[Terrordar]

Absolutely. Race, or sexual orientation mean nothing to the competency of someone in office.

[Elliot Kane]

I'm with Luci & Terror on this one. We have a few in Britain across all parties, but I couldn't name any of them because it's just not an issue to me. Doesn't seem to be an issue to most of them either, which I think is a good thing.

[Dark Phoenix Rising]

IMO it should only be an issue to us if they're not open about the fact they are homosexual (not shouting from the rafters open, but if asked they answer straight and forthwith). If they're cagey about it, then it could be held over them.

[kitty]

I'm rather surprised.

I thought, in a time were people neglect science and go back to religion and massive censorship, celebrating that some people in power manage to be honest to themselfs seemed like a good idea.

But whatever, I made the thread, delete it if you like

[Dark Phoenix Rising]

Why? we're all agreeing with you - Gasp - Shock horror...

The trick is that most of the people that post in the humanology board are intellegent and pretty much unbiased with regards to race, creed, colour, gender, or orientation. So if they're good at their job, why does their personal life matter

[Flix]

The thing is, Kit, when you draw attention to homosexuals by lumping them together in a big group like this, you're drawing more attention to them as a "different" group - even if the intent is celebration, it's still like, "look at this! can you believe these people are gay?" when the attitude instead should be something more like "yeah, of course we have some gay leaders. no big deal. they're just other people."

[kitty]

But thez ARE different and they wouldn't disagree with that! Most information about gay politicans I got from gay websites and webzines that were very proudly pointing towards them.

The homosexuals I know (and the few I told about that thread) where all hyper and glad about it, similary to the black people I know who freaked out bout Obama. Why not celebrating someones achievements?

@ Dark - aren't you clever.

[Terrordar]

Jul 24, 2009 16:05:14 GMT Flix said:

The thing is, Kit, when you draw attention to homosexuals by lumping them together in a big group like this, you're drawing more attention to them as a "different" group - even if the intent is celebration, it's still like, "look at this! can you believe these people are gay?" when the attitude instead should be something more like "yeah, of course we have some gay leaders. no big deal. they're just other people."

Actually strangely I agree with this. Not to say people shouldn't be out there and saying "hey, this is me." but the thing is it creates a group mentality.

For instance, not all gay people hold the same political views. Most gays have fled the right wing, but initially homosexuality fit in with conservatives ideas of "stay outta my personal life". Typically now the gay movement is largely on the same page, thus creating a special interest group, and special interest groups and by and large 'different' from the rest of their counterparts in the public.

Which is unfortunate, of course.

[Terrordar]

And its fine to celebrate someone's achievements. But when Prime Minister Stephan Harper won his election in Canada. I did not sit here and go "There he is, my white, straight representative. Aren't I proud of him?"

The fact two people of the same gender have sex based off of a genetic defect, or due to sexual condition (the latter is unlikely), doesn't really mean anything for their political views.

The fact Barack Obama is black, doesn't change the fact his political ideology is centered around spending money he doesn't have. The fact that Barack Obama is black, doesn't change his position on Afghanistan. All that Barack Obama being black does, is make him get votes from a rather well known lobbying group known as the "Black Community", who regardless of his position will always vote for him. It doesn't change [Censored]for what he does.

Just as it doesn't change anything for homosexual politicans either.

If a politician is a snake of a human being (which most are) and has political views that are centered around appeasing big business and [Censored]ing the little guy. It doesn't change [Censored]that they are sexually inclined towards their own gender.

[Flix]

There's nothing wrong with it, Kit.

It's just, as a group, the homosexual rhetoric is "we're normal people, we just want to be accepted like every other person, don't look at us like we're freaks" and at the same time you get this alternate message "look how special we are, LOOK AT US PRIDE PRIDE PRIDE"

Does that sound bigoted? I don't mean it to be, but I hope you see my point. Personally, I'm at a point where I more or less shrug off things like race and sexual orientation. I don't care if you're gay or not, and that's ultimately the point right? Do you do a good job at your career, with your family, with society? That's what I care about.

I mean, I understand the point of gay pride, and the self-acceptance it signifies, and I support that. But as long as everyone treats them as extra-special, whether positively or negatively, there won't be any real "acceptance." They're just people. We don't have lists of blonde politicians, or politicians with heart disease.

Hey Kit, I'm not attacking you or the thread idea, k? I'm more self-conscious of that lately.

[Elliot Kane]

I'll just agree with everyone else here, really

I think the ultimate goal of equality has to be to get a shrug and a "Who cares?" when someone mentions gender/orientation/ethnicity/etc. Only when these things cease to be seen as having any relevance at all can we all be human together, if that makes sense.

Doesn't make it a bad thread, Kit, just that you're preaching to the converted

[The Sonar Chicken]

WEll now... I'd love to see acceptance of intersexuals. Not as politicians, or some role, but as human beings. ;D From what I know, errr... maybe I'm off in this but many of the LBGT community probably don't accept them 'cos these people don't fit in.

[fughawzi]

It shouldn't matter, but reality is that it does and you can't pretend otherwise. I think it does more to celebrate the rise of minorities in all fields rather than pretend like it doesn't matter because there are still so few (Minority, you see?) and celebrating it doesn't let people forget that fact. Obviously, just because they share the same sexual orientation doesn't mean their politics are remotely the same, but that isn't what she is talking about. She isn't saying that they're better or worse politicians for it, just that it is great that we're at a time and place where we can talk about the fact that there are openly gay politicians out there. So what if it is preaching to the choir?

I like this thread, I think it's lovely.

[Dark Phoenix Rising]

Jul 24, 2009 16:54:42 GMT kitty said:

But thez ARE different and they wouldn't disagree with that! Most information about gay politicans I got from gay websites and webzines that were very proudly pointing towards them.

The homosexuals I know (and the few I told about that thread) where all hyper and glad about it, similary to the black people I know who freaked out bout Obama. Why not celebrating someones achievements?

@ Dark - aren't you clever.

no not really, i just try to pay more attention to things than a lot of other people seem to and with things like this unless it affects your job or me, why should i care?

Same as i don't care if a policeman belongs to the BNP as long as it doesn't affect their work...

[ss]

I guess this is off subject, but the illustrious Barney Frank is a serious screw-up as a politician. If you check him out, he is probably more responsible for the economic screw up in the states than any other...being as his position on the banking committee...

I admit it has nothing (as far as I know) on his being homosexual, but you should check him out MUCH more deeply on the political side before putting him up to high on your pedestal.

And yes, I don't think he is worth a dime...he is as much or more corrupt as any other politian we have.

[twoheadedragon]

In this country, homosexuality is frowned upon by the government and people alike. Homosexuals are beaten up, tortured, humiliated, etc. They have to keep a low profile about their sexuality, or they may even lose their lives.

[janggut]

about the same here, 2HD.

[Terrordar]

But we don't live in those countries, generally.