posted June 19, 2001 07:35 AM            

Our capital Berlin's got a brand new mayor. He hasn't been elected, but the local government failed in it's financial politics and so the old mayor's been diselected by a vote of no confidencs (I hope, my dictionary talks sense...). New elections are set for september. The only 'problem' about it: The new (socialist) mayor stood there during a speech two weeks ago and said: "Yes, it's true, I'm gay, and actaully it's good like it is!" Now he is mayor, his party stood behind him. But, and that's what I think is simply unbevievable, some people REALLY started a discusion, if it's suitable for our capital to be reigned by a gay man. I admire the strength it took, to have his outing in front of maybe a hundred people and the press, in front of cameras and microphones.

So, is being gay a situation, that disqualfifies one from being the right one for such a position? I just want to know, what you think about that: Is this kind of partial intolerance (I say partial because on the other side this man's got many sympathies) only restricted on Germany? Would it be able for a homosexual man to be a mayor in a city like Washington? Isn't there a lesbian female politician even a senator or governour in th US? Just want to hear your opinion. Cause though I'm not gay myself, I got some good (male and female) friends who are and I become totally upset when somebody tries to discriminate them just because they're in love (the same thing as being discriminated just because your skin clolour differs or you're the wrong sex).

posted April 23, 2002 02:32 PM            

I'm sure that there are other governmental positions held by gays & lesbians (mayors, governors, cabinet officials, etc), both in and out of the closet. I don't want to give the impression, though, that America is hugely tolerant when it comes to sexuality. As far as we've come in the last 20 years about accepting alternative sexuality, hatred & bigotry still exist. There are probably many highly qualified gay & lesbian candidates in the US who could not get elected on the basis of who they prefer in bed :-( Consider the policy taken by the last, more liberal, administration on gays in the military. "Don't ask, don't tell." Oh, yeah. Real accepting.

Personally, I don't care what consenting adults do between themselves. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are my mandate.