Behind the Growing Number of LGBT+ World Leaders
For the first time in modern history we’re beginning to see LGBT+ people elected to prominent positions of power across the globe. Over the last decade queer people have become premiers, governors, and prime ministers of entire nations. This is nothing short of remarkable and in many ways shows the level of acceptance and progress LGBT+ people have made over the last two decades.
In November of last year there was something of a rainbow wave in the United States. More openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people were elected than at any other time in US history. New Hampshire got its first openly gay member of congress, as did Minnesota and Kansas. Two trans women were elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Ten openly gay politics were sworn intothe 116th U.S. Congress.
“A historic number of LGBTQ people will serve in the new U.S. Congress and their influence will shape the debate on equality legislation and issues moving forward,” said Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Institute.
“In the U.S. Senate, those opposed to the Equality Act will now need to look two openly LGBTQ senators in the eyes and tell them their lives are not worth protecting. In the U.S. House, Speaker Pelosi will have eight LGBTQ representatives to consult about how various healthcare or criminal justice reform policies uniquely affect our community. The relationships these LGBTQ lawmakers will build with their colleagues on Capitol Hill are transformative, and with an unprecedented number of women and people of colour also joining the 116th Congress, equality issues will finally receive the attention they deserve.”
And in a huge win for the LGBT+ community, Colorado elected Jared Polis as their governor – the first openly gay governor in American history.
“Tonight, Colorado rejected the Trump-Pence administration’s politics of bigotry and fear by choosing bold pro-equality champion Jared Polis, the nation’s first openly gay man elected governor,” saidChad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign.
“For nearly a decade in Congress, Polis fought to advance fairness and equality in Colorado and across America.”
“Tonight, Colorado rejected the Trump-Pence administration’s politics of bigotry and fear by choosing bold pro-equality champion."
Polis’ victory has reshaped many people’s expectations of how far an openly gay person can get in politics. “I’m guessing if you asked Coloradans just ten years ago if that were possible in their state (to have a gay governor), the majority would have said no,” wrote Brock Thompson for the Washington Blade.
Some have wondered if it is so impossible to imagine that one day a gay person might hold the most powerful office in the world.
Pete Buttigieg threw his hat into the increasingly crowded 2020 ring in January. The openly gay mayor of South Bend Indiana has joined a slew of other hopefuls in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. While his bid may be a longshot, it is a milestone in itself that a gay married man can launch a tenable campaign for the US presidency.
It is a milestone in itself that a gay married man can launch a tenable campaign for the US presidency.
“Only a decade ago, his run would have been unthinkable,” Kyle Blaine points out for CNN. Noting that in the 2008 presidential campaign Obama openly opposed gay marriage.
If Buttigieg did beat the odds and became the US president, he wouldn’t be the only LGBT+ leader on the world stage.
There have been five openly gay world leaders, the first was Iceland’s Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, elected in 2009. Since then we’ve had Elio Di Rupo as the Prime Minister of Belgium, Xavier Bettel as the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Leo Varadkar as the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, and Ana Brnabić as the Prime Minister of Serbia.
While they represent many different political opinions and values, simply their presence exemplifies the growing acceptance of the LGBT+ community.
(See above: European countries that are comfortable with having an LGBT+ leader)
Bettel and Varadkar recently used these positions to confront country’s that have an appalling history regarding LGBT+ rights.
They spoke up at the first EU-League of Arab States summit, with Varadkar speaking directly about LGBT+ rights in his speech: “[Ireland] has changed a lot in the past 10 years. We have become leaders in advancing equality for women and members of the LGBT community. We have legalised both same sex marriage – the right to love – and abortion – the right to choose.
“I respect that every country has its own culture, traditions and religious beliefs. However, we believe these rights are universal.”
Bettelpointed out in his own speech in some of the countries present he would be put to death for his sexual orientation.
“I respect that every country has its own culture, traditions and religious beliefs. However, we believe these rights are universal.”
A journalist present said his speech was met with “icy silence with some, quiet joy with others.”
Bette lresponded that “saying nothing was not an option for me.”
Qatar, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, all present at the summit, all punish homosexuality with death.
Varadkar spoke up again when he visited the US Vice President, Mike Pence. Pence has a well-known and fraught history with LGBT+ rights, with a 2000 election manifesto that eluded to supporting gay conversion therapy. Pence’s wife also teaches at a school that openly discriminates against gay students and teachers.
Varadkar made a point of bringing along his partner, Dr Matt Barrettto.
“I stand here this morning as leader of my country, flawed and human, but judged by my political actions and not by my sexual orientation, my skin tone, my gender or religious beliefs,” Varadkar said in a statement at the White House.
“And I don’t believe my country is the only one in the world where this story is possible. It is found in every country where freedom and liberty are cherished.
“We are after all, all god’s children. That’s true of the United States as well, the land and home of the brave and free.”
Varadkar maintained that he received “a really warm reception”from Pence.
All of this amounts to incredible progress, made over just a few years. LGBT+ people need to continue speaking up, taking part, and pushing themselves into positions of power and influence. Only through our own actions as a community can any real change manifest.
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