Poll: Do you think there will be more openly gay prime minsters and presidents in the next 20 years

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Parasondox

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Jun 15, 2013
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Good... morning?

A thought came into my head, which then led to a bit of research. Every time whenever some sort of election comes around, a large number of the candidates are often family men and women, with a stable family of wife/husband, kids, and dog. Painting this picture of, "Vote for me not just for what I stand for but the family that's involved and is very important in my life as we are a team" and often times the religious belief they have. I understand that, I do. You want to show people that you are someone that is trustworthy, honest, work great with a team and by team, you mean your family. You are the head of the household and the leader. Nothing is wrong with that really but... that's the thing. It seems flawless and near perfect if you don't look deeply into it.

What if the candidate didn't have one of those features? What if the candidate was a male and he introduces his partner of, lets say, over 10 years who is another man. They're in a comfortable and healthy relationship. Same for women who introduces their spouse who is of the same sex to the political media. Comfortable and healthy relationship. Would that still bother voters in the next 20 years when it comes to a general election or will their policies and views matter more? People have been know to vote for someone just on their religious beliefs and nothing else.

Where am I getting at with all of this? Well, times are changing and people are becoming more open with who they are. 20-30 odd years ago, you may not have been able too but now, in the 21st century, we have grown and progressed more openly in life. There has only been 3 openly gay prime minsters/presidents that we know of and all three are in Europe.

Elio Di Rupo - Belgium
Xavier Bettel - Luxembourg
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir - Iceland

Question goes back to you now, no pressure. Do you think there will be more openly gay prime ministers, presidents or leaders in the next 20 years or even more? Does it even matter if they are gay or not to win a persons vote because it is down to their actual policies that is meant to benefit the nation? Or do you think it's a silly question to ask? Comment, respond and let us know what you think.

Added Extra: Yes, I do acknowledge that many candidates may also be single or bisexual and they do deserve to be discussed also. Just today, for this thread, I am focusing more on the topic involving openly gay men and women.
 

Vault101

I'm in your mind fuzz
Sep 26, 2010
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will gay marrage be legal across all of America? (and hopefully Australia?)

its only a matter of time, Homophobia is getting harder and harder to defend. I mean there may still be the desire not to alienate a certain portion of the population..but the "gyas burn in hell" I feel are becoming a minority..[i/]that said[/i] "anti-gay" views have varying degress..i'm not sure its enough that potential voters are going to care too much about the candidates sexuality though..again I feel like that would only bother the super conservative croud

also those hwo fall outside the absolute "traditional" way are voters..and theres lots of them
 

Colour Scientist

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Jul 15, 2009
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I think it's inevitable as homophobia gradually becomes less publically acceptable.

In 20 years I think there will be more openly gay politicians/prime ministers/presidents but I still don't think it will be a lot.
Deep-seated homophobia doesn't just disappear because gay marriage is legal, most countries are still relatively homophobic, openly or otherwise, so even though things are changing, I don't know how large an impact 20 years will have.
I hope that I'm pleasantly surprised.

That said, we had an openly gay candidate in our presidential race three years ago, the position of president is largely ceremonial here though so I don't know if that counts for anything.
Still, it's a big step for a country that only decriminalised homosexuality in 1993.

Edit : Thinking about it, we went from decriminalisation to full marriage rights in just over 20 years so I suppose a lot can happen in that frame of time.
 

Vault101

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Sep 26, 2010
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Colour Scientist said:
obviously I answered the question from a western perspective (as I think the OP may have been asking from one too) but I forget that not all places are as "accepting" of homosexuality as they are here, whcih makes me sad...and makes me thankful to be so lucky
 

Dragonlayer

Aka Corporal Yakob
Dec 5, 2013
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In stable Western democracies like the UK and US? Probably, though there will always be that section of hardliner anti-gays who will probably pass on their beliefs to their descendants for a long time to come. I doubt we'll be seeing open homosexuality in central African or Middle Eastern politics in the foreseeable future though.

In stable Western democracies like the UK and US? Probably, though there will always be that section of hardliner anti-gays who will probably pass on their beliefs to their descendants for a long time to come. I doubt we'll be seeing open homosexuality in central African or Middle Eastern politics in the foreseeable future though.
Vault101 said:
Colour Scientist said:
obviously I answered the question from a western perspective (as I think the OP may have been asking from one too) but I forget that not all places are as "accepting" of homosexuality as they are here, whcih makes me sad...and makes me thankful to be so lucky
Wait wait wait: weren't you banned Vault? I'm not trying to stir up trouble here, I'm honestly curious; I could have sworn you were kicked off the site and then everyone had an avatar with your skunk(?) at a gravestone.

I'm so old in internet years....
 

Thaluikhain

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More than there currently are, most likely. I don't see it becoming totally accepted during my lifetime.

However, I'd not rule out a horrific reactionary backlash, throwing aside the progress that has been made.
 

Atrocious Joystick

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I doubt it. Maybe one or two but homosexuals really are a tiny portion of the population. It´s not just about acceptance. In order to get a homosexual leader you first have to actually have a person who is both into politics and gay and then popular enough within a party to advance and then popular enough with the people to get elected. The amount of people who are both gay and in a position in which they could be elected to a high position in a country is pretty small and will still be pretty small in the future I suspect, just like with any other "sexual nisch". It´s not like with women who are around half the population.

If being gay suddenly became a virtue I could see it happening. Like if we as a society decided that women are a distraction for getting things done and a man who doesn´t involve himself with such things and rather choses to devote himself to his "brothers in arms" (literal or methaporical) and his work is held up as an example. But then that would mean bad things for women in society so you know, something about a cake and eating it. I´m just rambling by now.
 

Vault101

I'm in your mind fuzz
Sep 26, 2010
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Atrocious Joystick said:
I doubt it. Maybe one or two but homosexuals really are a tiny portion of the population. It´s not just about acceptance. In order to get a homosexual leader you first have to actually have a person who is both into politics and gay and then popular enough within a party to advance and then popular enough with the people to get elected. The amount of people who are both gay and in a position in which they could be elected to a high position in a country is pretty small and will still be pretty small in the future I suspect, just like with any other "sexual nisch". It´s not like with women who are around half the population.
I don't believe its a question of [i/]how many[/i] gay politicians but the fact that society will get to the point they won't have to hide it, which I don't think is that far off

[quote/]If being gay suddenly became a virtue I could see it happening. Like if we as a society decided that women are a distraction for getting things done and a man who doesn´t involve himself with such things and rather choses to devote himself to his "brothers in arms" (literal or methaporical) and his work is held up as an example. But then that would mean bad things for women in society so you know, something about a cake and eating it. I´m just rambling by now.[/quote]

so people would pretend to be gay instead? ha...

also lesbians exist
 

Vault101

I'm in your mind fuzz
Sep 26, 2010
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Dragonlayer said:
Wait wait wait: weren't you banned Vault? I'm not trying to stir up trouble here, I'm honestly curious; I could have sworn you were kicked off the site and then everyone had an avatar with your skunk(?) at a gravestone.

I'm so old in internet years....
yes I was but I'm back now
 

Dragonlayer

Aka Corporal Yakob
Dec 5, 2013
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Vault101 said:
Dragonlayer said:
Wait wait wait: weren't you banned Vault? I'm not trying to stir up trouble here, I'm honestly curious; I could have sworn you were kicked off the site and then everyone had an avatar with your skunk(?) at a gravestone.

I'm so old in internet years....
yes I was but I'm back now
Seems to make sense....welcome back, I guess!
 

JoJo

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There'll most likely be a few more in Western countries, though as Atrocious Joystick pointed out LGBT people only form a small minority of the population and so even with full equality you wouldn't expect that many to be leaders. I can't speak for any other countries but with 68% approval of gay marriage, which was introduced today, I think the United Kingdom would be ready for a gay leader if one of the right calibre emerged. That and in the UK we rarely seem to hear about potential leader's family lives or religion and unlike the US it's never used as a political arguing point, most people simply don't care here.
 

Andy Shandy

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Jun 7, 2010
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I hope so, provided they are the best person for the job of course.

At the very least, I think it'll become much less of a sticking point.
 

L. Declis

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Apr 19, 2012
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In the next 20 years? I honestly doubt it.

I mean, we've only had a handful of WOMEN Presidents and Prime Ministers. It took a long time for a black man to rule a predominately white cultural country.

Will it happen? Eventually.
 

Jamieson 90

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Here's a question. Will the UK get a black/Asian/minority Prime Minister before they get an overtly gay one?
 

Leonardo Huizar

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Openly Gay, Sure.

Not as corrupt... HAH HA ha ha...

Though personally speaking id be more cool if it was a single Prez/Prime, then they would be more focused on leading the country better rather than have to work on the image that theyre just like everyone who is happily married with children... a dying minority.

Or even having to deal with the pressure of worrying about the growth & security of their own immediate family, and instead focusing on the growth & security of their country.
 

Johnny Novgorod

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Twenty years seems way too soon for homophobia to die out. I'm afraid it's going to take longer than that.
 

Radeonx

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Within 20 years? I doubt it, but it is inevitably going to happen at some point. It's only a matter of time, really.
 

Parasondox

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Interesting answers. When I did the post originally, it was to do with more western politics but then kind of made it more international. I know in some deeply religious countries, the idea of an openly gay prime minster/president may never happen during the next 50-100 years. Some countries, yeah in 20 years you may see more openly gay leaders.

Jamieson 90 said:
Here's a question. Will the UK get a black/Asian/minority Prime Minister before they get an overtly gay one?
That one... I do not honestly know. It's all about how the main UK parties show off their new party leader and show that he is the right person for the job and for the country.
 

shootthebandit

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I personally dont think it matters. A politicians sexuality is their own business and noone elses

More importantly when will people stop caring if people are straight or gay. It really doesnt make one iota of difference if you like men or women. The only instance where it would ever matter would be if I was trying to get with a girl who was a lesbian and even then it would only stop an awkward moment.

People need to stop identifying themselves by their sexuality and yes straight people do this more than gay people