20 replies to this topic

[faster]

With so many of you flying the other flag, I would have thought it would be a holiday for you people today. The first openly gay leader of a government will be sworn in today. Since its Belgium, its not a head of state, but still a milestone none-the-less.

[baron-pierreIV]

who's that? I mean I can look it up?

But as puppy predicted here before: those gay Belgians!! I guess they're here!!

I wonder if Barnery Frank will retire to Brussels now?

Edited by baron-pierreIV, 06 December 2011 - 11:51 AM.

[bgdrewsif]

baron-pierreIV, on 06 December 2011 - 11:49 AM, said:

I wonder if Barnery Frank will retire to Brussels now?

LOL... I think he already speaks the language... i'm assuming thats what comes out of his mouth because it never sounds like English...

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

faster, on 06 December 2011 - 07:03 AM, said:

With so many of you flying the other flag, I would have thought it would be a holiday for you people today. The first openly gay leader of a government will be sworn in today. Since its Belgium, its not a head of state, but still a milestone none-the-less.

Who is it - Tintin? I always was a bit suss that he only ever hung round with his sugar daddy Captain Haddock.

Anyway, just read a few news items on Di Rupos swearing in. I think it's a tribute to changing attitudes now that not one of those stories mentioned his sexuality, or even hinted at it. Just about all the mention was of his atrocious Dutch linguistic abilities.

BTW - I didn't realise that German was also an official language of Belgium (as was mentioned in one of the news stories). Is that really so?

Edited by Sir Rols, 06 December 2011 - 05:17 PM.

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

One more point/question. I don't think he's the first openly gay head of government. Didn't Iceland elect a lesbian PM a few years back?

Edited by Sir Rols, 06 December 2011 - 05:21 PM.

[faster]

She is still there, but this was a male achievement.

And yes, Belgium was given German territory after one of the World Wars and they became officially part of Wallonia but are independent in many respects.

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

faster, on 06 December 2011 - 05:39 PM, said:

She is still there, but this was a male achievement.

Okay, fair enough.

Probably should say modern head of government as well, though. Don't forget the likes of historical leaders from Alexander the Great to Emperor Hadrian.

[Mainad]

Sir Rols, on 06 December 2011 - 06:30 PM, said:

Okay, fair enough.

Probably should say modern head of government as well, though. Don't forget the likes of historical leaders from Alexander the Great to Emperor Hadrian.

We English have had Edward II (although it all ended rather badly with a date with a red-hot poker) and James I (of King James Bible fame) who liked to fondle and kiss his male favourites in public!

There were always rumours about dear old Ted Heath (Britain's only unmarried prime minister) but of course the times were not then ripe for him to come out of the closet!

[Olympian2004]

I watched a BBC documentary about the "ten year duel" between Ted Heath and Harold Wilson on Youtube recently and someone who knew Heath well (I don't remember what his name was) said that Heath was not gay, but asexual.

However, I think it's actually a good sign that no one here noticed that Belgium now has a gay leader of government. It shows that at least there's not much fuzz made about the homosexuality of politicians anymore in the media.

When the incumbent mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, came out shortly before his first election 2001, it was still a big deal here in Germany because we never had an openly gay candidate running for a major political office in Germany before. It made big headlines especially because Wowereit came out on a party conference, hence in full public, to prevent that a Berlin tabloid newspaper exploited his sexuality for political campaigning. But now, after it turned out that also Ole von Beust (mayor of Hamburg from 2001 to 2010) and our incumbent foreign secretary and vice chancellor Guido Westerwelle are gay, it's really no big deal in the media coverage anymore.

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

Mainad, on 06 December 2011 - 08:22 PM, said:

There were always rumours about dear old Ted Heath (Britain's only unmarried prime minister) but of course the times were not then ripe for him to come out of the closet!

Lots of rumours here to over the years about our PM from 1972-75, Gough Whitlam (who was married). Don't know if it's true or not, but it's been persistent throughout my adult life (including from parliamentary reporters who claim to be "in the know").