A small point about women be more accepting of a gay PM. This statistic is often presented as women being less prejudiced than men. However, things change if the question refers to “gay or lesbian,” when men are shown to be less prejudiced than women.
“Married to his job” – I don’t think so. It is widely knowsn that Ted Heath was a homosexual and people who pretend he was asexual or ‘married to his job’ are being foolish. I think however that gay people should not be hesitant in assuming he was gay and mentioning it in public. I mean no-one gets offended by the assumption of heterosexuality in unmarried politicians. There’s also no reason to be offended by the presumption of homosexuality.
I knew the rumours about Ted Heath, but does anyone have any idea who the other Gay Prime Minister Ian McKellen is alluding to was? I’m drawing a blank on that one…
Arthur Balfour (known to his Cambridge contemporaries as “Pretty Fanny”) was widely regarded as a ‘confirmed bachelor’. Sir Ian may be alluding to him. Benjamin Disraeli was also pretty sexually ambivalent, even by Victorian standards.
I do wonder what it means to say that these people were “gay,” however. If they did not self-identify as homosexual, then clearly they were not “gay” in any meaningful sense of the word. I suspect McKellen is just being mischievous.
Neil McKenna’s ‘The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde’ has a lot to say about the sexuality of Lord Rosebery – who according to him was sleeping with Lord Alfred Douglas’ brother. And I seem to remember reading a strong case for William Pitt the Younger (Pink Plaque Guide to London??) It could be that Sir Ian is underestimating a bit…
Yes, we all knew that Edward Heath was gay but who the other (s) were as prime ministers I would not know. Sexuality should not be a ‘bar’ to any official position as long as that person has the ability to do the job
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A small point about women be more accepting of a gay PM. This statistic is often presented as women being less prejudiced than men. However, things change if the question refers to “gay or lesbian,” when men are shown to be less prejudiced than women.
“Married to his job” – I don’t think so. It is widely knowsn that Ted Heath was a homosexual and people who pretend he was asexual or ‘married to his job’ are being foolish. I think however that gay people should not be hesitant in assuming he was gay and mentioning it in public. I mean no-one gets offended by the assumption of heterosexuality in unmarried politicians. There’s also no reason to be offended by the presumption of homosexuality.
I knew the rumours about Ted Heath, but does anyone have any idea who the other Gay Prime Minister Ian McKellen is alluding to was? I’m drawing a blank on that one…
Lord Rosebery, perhaps?
Its gotta be Margaret Thatcher hasn’t it? She had more balls than any of the men who surrounded her!
I think Pitt the Younger was a big ole’ mo. He was certainly a party boy in his time.
Arthur Balfour (known to his Cambridge contemporaries as “Pretty Fanny”) was widely regarded as a ‘confirmed bachelor’. Sir Ian may be alluding to him. Benjamin Disraeli was also pretty sexually ambivalent, even by Victorian standards.
I do wonder what it means to say that these people were “gay,” however. If they did not self-identify as homosexual, then clearly they were not “gay” in any meaningful sense of the word. I suspect McKellen is just being mischievous.
I heard a rumour that Disraeli was gay….
Neil McKenna’s ‘The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde’ has a lot to say about the sexuality of Lord Rosebery – who according to him was sleeping with Lord Alfred Douglas’ brother. And I seem to remember reading a strong case for William Pitt the Younger (Pink Plaque Guide to London??) It could be that Sir Ian is underestimating a bit…
Yes, we all knew that Edward Heath was gay but who the other (s) were as prime ministers I would not know. Sexuality should not be a ‘bar’ to any official position as long as that person has the ability to do the job