Germany to the World: "His Boyfriend Makes Him Strong"

by Eric Grignol · 2009-10-07 06:23:00 UTC
Topics:

Guido Westerwelle

Germany made historic news this week when Guido Westerwelle, a German politician, was announced as the country's next foreign minister. The significance? No, not that another foreign leader will have the initials G.W. in his name (*shudder*)...it's the fact that Westerwelle is gay. It's historically significant. But is it really a big deal?

An article posted in Foreign Policy by Cameron Abadi on Westerwelle states: “Nobody in Germany cares.”

But that’s a good thing! And it provides a great lesson on why being a public figure and being out can do so much to advance LGBT rights. The newspaper Bild even went so far as to say, very tongue-in-cheek, that Westerwelle's boyfriend made him strong.

Abadi riffs on this: “Taking its cues from voters, Bild's editors didn't wring their hands over Westerwelle's sexual orientation, nor did they sensationalize it as a novelty.” Westerwelle didn’t force himself back into the closet for the trail, but rather campaigned with his partner at his side, and voters responded that everything was, well, normal. Because it is.

This isn’t the product of some all-enlightened Europe that’s always been so far ahead of the U.S. on gay rights. For decades, gay rights resistance in Germany flourished. But now this sea change is a product of allies in governmental parties and the shifting religious landscape over time.

Germany’s first major public official to come out of the closet was Klaus Wowereit, the mayor of Berlin since 2001. Some have tried to make an issue of his sexual orientation, including one person who "suggested Berlin deserves to have ‘a first lady.’" Wowereit responded that at least he was in a steady relationship, whereas his opponent was in the midst of a divorce. Touche.

Imagine a time -- be it in the U.S., in Germany, around the globe -- where gay rights are so accepted, so normal, that to be breaking news about an openly gay leader is...well, boring and old news. Very smart voters in Germany know that in the future, we’ll see that day.

Eric Grignol
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