# Iceland gets a gay PM, is this a first? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239 "2009-01-27T16:27:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/21 "2009-01-27T19:30:39Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Iceland is about to get a new coalition government and we’ll have a woman for PM. This is a first for Iceland (who had the world’s first female Prez back in the 80.s). > > But the new PM is gay. Would this also be a world’s first? I’m not sure what your claim in brackets means. Margaret Thatcher was British Prime Minister in 1979. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/22 "2009-01-27T19:43:37Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I’m not sure what your claim in brackets means. Margaret Thatcher was British Prime Minister in 1979. It’s true for a given set of parameters: Vigdís Finnbogadóttir was the world’s first democratically elected female President. Margaret Thatcher was a PM, not a President. Isabel Peron was President of Argentina in 1974 but wasn’t democratically elected. Etc etc. I recommend [this site](http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/women_state_leaders.htm) to you for all women leader factoids. I don’t know if there’s an equivalant homosexual leader site. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/23 "2009-01-27T20:09:48Z")
Yeah, I meant what **Gyrate** says. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/24 "2009-01-27T20:28:04Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > …Haider (who, talking about gay politicians, turned out to have been in an affair with a male assistant after he died some months ago)… Can you even have an affair with a corpse? I would think “affair” implies consent. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/25 "2009-01-27T21:25:04Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Dammit! We just elected a black president. Why you always gotta up us? But Obama is HALF black and HALF white. To be consistant Iceland would have to have a bisexual PM ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/26 "2009-01-27T21:42:06Z")
> [@Waffle\_Decider](#): > > A little off-topic: I know that in Iceland, “family name” doesn’t work like most other European languages. So, using the example of Johanna Sigurdardottir, what is the polite way of addressing her? PM Johanna? PM Sigurdardottir? PM Johanna Sigurdardottir? Madame Johanna? ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/27 "2009-01-27T21:44:44Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > But Obama is HALF black and HALF white. > > To be consistant Iceland would have to have a bisexual PM In that case I bring to you her previous marriage to a man and she even had kids with him. Ha! 🙂 > [@alphaboi867](#): > > Madame Johanna? Sure. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/28 "2009-01-27T21:55:20Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Yes, I believe so. She’ll be the first openly gay head of government in modern times. [Per-Kristian Foss](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-Kristian_Foss) was briefly acting Prime Minister of Norway in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/29 "2009-01-27T22:02:08Z")
James Buchanan, “the only bachelor US President”, had a lot of rumors around him - but he wasn’t out, so he doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/30 "2009-01-27T22:06:54Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > [Per-Kristian Foss](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-Kristian_Foss) was briefly acting Prime Minister of Norway in 2002. Damn Norwegians, stealing the win ☹ ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/31 "2009-01-27T23:48:41Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Yeah, I mean openly “out of the closet” gay. Thereby definitively ruling out Ted Heath as a possible candidate. Though, [as his Wikipedia entry notes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Heath#Sexuality), the matter has never risen above the level of gossip and the author of the acclaimed standard biography of him was unconvinced by the rumours. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/32 "2009-01-28T01:36:56Z")
> [@bonzer](#): > > Thereby definitively ruling out Ted Heath as a possible candidate. Though, [as his Wikipedia entry notes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Heath#Sexuality), the matter has never risen above the level of gossip and the author of the acclaimed standard biography of him was unconvinced by the rumours. Well, if _you_ had done years of research on Heath’s life and failed to notice his (alleged) homosexuality, you might want to consider pooh-poohing the rumours too. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/33 "2009-01-28T01:48:39Z")
A couple of years ago the Parti Québécois acquired the first openly gay leader of a political party with seats in North America, André Boisclair. Unfortunately he turned out to be a joke and led his party to a swingeing defeat in the 2007 election, and he was certainly no friend to the actual LGBT community. (He’s since been replaced with Quebec’s first female Leader of the Opposition.) At least two other parties without seats have had LGBT leaders in Canada: Chris Lea was the leader of the Green Party in I believe the 80s, and Allison Brewer led the New Brunswick NDP in the mid-00s. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/34 "2009-01-28T01:56:13Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > King James I of England (and VI of Scotland) was allegedly openly and promiscuously homosexual. > > Prior to that, King Edward II of England was allegedly executed in 1327 [in the most hideous manner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_II#Death) to punish his crime of sodomy: Though both were married, so its hard to describe them as “out”. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/35 "2009-01-28T02:35:09Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > A couple of years ago the Parti Québécois acquired the first openly gay leader of a political party with seats in North America, André Boisclair. Unfortunately he turned out to be a joke and led his party to a swingeing defeat in the 2007 election, and he was certainly no friend to the actual LGBT community. (He’s since been replaced with Quebec’s first female Leader of the Opposition.) > > At least two other parties without seats have had LGBT leaders in Canada: Chris Lea was the leader of the Green Party in I believe the 80s, and Allison Brewer led the New Brunswick NDP in the mid-00s. So, what about Svend Robinson and Scott Brison, two other openly gay MPs? ETA: And am I the only one who had to look up LGBT? ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/36 "2009-01-28T02:47:14Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > So, what about Svend Robinson and Scott Brison, two other openly gay MPs? They didn’t lead their parties. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/37 "2009-01-28T02:56:25Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > They didn’t lead their parties. Ah, mais oui. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/38 "2009-01-28T03:08:22Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > They didn’t lead their parties. To expand on this a little, Svend Robinson did campaign for the NDP leadership in 1995 but was defeated. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/39 "2009-01-28T03:39:27Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > To expand on this a little, Svend Robinson did campaign for the NDP leadership in 1995 but was defeated. He actually won the first ballot (IIRC) but decided to drop out of the race in favour of Alexa McDonough. This was before my time, though. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239/40 "2009-01-28T03:44:19Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Ah, mais oui. There are currently six MPs who are out members of the LGBT community: Bill Siksay and Libby Davies in the NDP; Scott Brison, Mario Silva, and Rob Oliphant for the Liberals; and Réal Ménard for the Bloc. Out gay former MPs include the NDP’s Svend Robinson and the Bloc’s Raymond Gravel. Svend Robinson was the first out gay MP (February 29th, 1988 – his constituency office had all its windows smashed), Libby Davies was the first (and so far only) female MP to come out as having a female partner (although she doesn’t label her sexual orientation), Bill Siksay was the first MP to already be out when elected to a first term, and Scott Brison was the first out gay cabinet minister. Interestingly, of these, Rob Oliphant is a United Church minister, Raymond Gravel is a Roman Catholic priest, and Bill Siksay was a candidate for United Church ordination (his partner is a UC minister). There are a couple more MPs and former MPs whose sexual orientation is just about as open as secrets get, but who have never officially come out. Ottawa can still be a pretty closed town in several respects. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iceland-gets-a-gay-pm-is-this-a-first/483239.md?page=3)