Black Nominee Paves way for Future Gay President

The brutal battle between Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama over the Democratic nomination is finally at its last throes if not over. With Clinton’s concession speech planned for this weekend, the nation will see Barack Obama as our first Black nominee of a major party. The not-so-innocuous race to the nomination left the candidates bruised and bloody, but brought about great strides in the equality for racial and gender minorities. Clinton fought the aggressive and relentless fight and showed the country that women and girls everywhere are just as capable as their male counterparts – a fact that is unbelievably not common knowledge. Obama continues to give African Americans a resounding voice, set an example for our youth, and encourage changes in attitude among those who continue to rank people by race, sexuality, gender, etc. I have the utmost respect for both senators and I am proud that our country was able to show its greatness in this democratic process.

What are our next steps toward equality? Now that we know our world can democratically elect racial minorities like Obama and religious minorities like India's first Sikh prime minister Manmohan Singh without major concerns, the electability of LGBT people should not be entirely out of the question. In fact, Hunters college studied the impacts of 'coming out' as lesbian and gay. They found that lesbian and gay individuals are more politically active than those who identify as straight. As queer individuals find comfort and acceptance in society, it is likely that their political involvement will increase exponentially. The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund - an organization that endorses LGBT politicians - reports that in 1991 they represented 49 openly gay public officials. Today, that number has increased to an almost unbelievable 412 nationwide. Hopefully, the shift in acceptance among racial and gendered minorities, as seen with Obama and Clinton, will translate in future presidential campaigns involving sexual minorities.

The buzz is spreading over Paris’s mayor Bertrand Delanoë and his interest in running for President of France. To my knowledge, Delanoë can possibly be the first openly gay head of state in global history. It is quite possible that the first Black US president will shake hands with the first openly gay president. Despite the Pew poll that states 46% of Americans are not likely to vote for a person who identifies as gay, an openly gay executive is not an impossible occurrence. In fact, Portland recently elected its first openly gay mayor, Sam Adams, and despite the scandals, former New Jersey governor James McGreevey was our countries first openly gay chief executive.

When polls ask, “Is the country ready for a Black president?” my visceral response is an audible, “duh.” When mainstream polls start asking the related question, “Is the country ready for a gay president?” I respond with, "we might be now."

Read more on Paris Possibility: www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/gay-mayor-of-paris-sets-his-sights-on-french-presidency-832857.html

Read more on US Possibility: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/05/could_a_gay_person_get_elected_2.html