Friends in High Places

from top to bottom (no pun intended): Klaus Wowereit and boyfriend; Ole von Beust; Bertrand Delanoe; and Brian Paddick

The acceptance of homosexuals into mainstream European life has accelerated in the last decade. The new area in which we are making big inroads is politics; the place is major cities. Since 2001 no less than 3 of the biggest cities in Europe have elected a gay mayor. 

Berlin, the 3rd largest city in Europe elected Klaus Wowereit in 2001. He came out before the election at his party's convention with the sentence that was to become famous in Germany "I am gay, and that is a good thing." He is quite popular, and he has been widely talked about as potentially his party's (SPD) candidate for chancellor in the next election. Wowereit has been very visible in the gay community and often been photographed with his partner.

Another case entirely is Ole von Beust, the mayor of Hamburg, another German city and the 7th largest in Europe. He comes from a distinguished lineage of aristocrats that dabbled in politics. He is also a member of CDU, the Conservative Party in Germany. He never answered rumors about his homosexuality and it was his father who confirmed them and outed him in an interview. Von Beust believes his sexual orientation is his own private matter and ironically refers any interviewers with questions on the subject to his father.

Bertrand Delanoe was also elected in 2001 as Mayor of Paris, the 2nd largest city in Europe. He has been openly gay since 1998. As a member of the Socialist Party he has concentrated on new programs and events to improve quality of life for the inhabitants of Paris -- such as free bicycles for use in the congested center, and "Paris Beach": an initiative that transforms the banks of the river Seine into beaches for the Summer. This has proved very popular with people who can't afford to get away on vacation and been copied in other cities. It was during one of his cultural events in 2002, a festival that lasted all night called "Nuit Blanche", that a Muslim immigrant who had psychological problems stabbed Delanoe. Delanoe insisted on the festivities continuing as he was being rushed to hospital. He was out of the hospital in 2 weeks. His assailant stated that he hated politicians and that his religion said homosexuality was wrong. He stood trial and was sent to a mental hospital.

Finally, as I write, the campaign for London mayor is in full swing -- the candidate for the Liberal Democrats is Brian Paddick, an openly gay former high ranking Police official. He doesn't have much of a chance since he is standing for a 3rd party without as much pull as Labour or the Conservatives. On a shallow note, this is quite a pity, since he's actually quite cute. There's always something about a man in uniform.

But altogether this is a huge change and a sign of golden times for gay people. Especially when you consider that prior to 2001 the only openly gay mayor of a major city in the world was Glen Murray in Winnipeg, Canada. May it only get better.