You may have seen Iceland has just elected the world's first married , straight Prime Minister.
Now, ever since Emperor Hadrian nominated Antinous as his successor, it's been a tradition in the West that full-time political leaders should be gay - or celibate and straight. That's how it's been with all the major governments, and of course the papacy. It's meant that instead of something desperately uncertain like a 'hereditary monarchy' (I'm not making that phrase up - there have actually been quite a few of these in the Far East!) , Emperors, Empresses, Kings and Queens have always nominated their successors - and even in the few republics we have in the world, their leaders have always been gay or celibate, so that they can concentrate on their duties without the distraction of a family.
I know that Iceland is a very small nation, but surely having a family is going to distract her from running the country properly. Won't she be at home with her husband and children when she should be meeting with Prime Minister Mandelson to discuss fishing quotas or something?
How would it have affected history if this had happened earlier and become widespread, say a hundred years ago?
And does anyone think this could work elsewhere now ? Even in America? After all, the great majority of American voters are in straight families. But is it reasonable to think for example, that the Republicans or Democrats could pick a straight married candidate to follow on from Larry Craig in 2012? I know it's a tall order, it would have to be someone who is no higher at the moment than a state senator or mayor of a small town.
Unless there's a closet straight in congress ....
Now, ever since Emperor Hadrian nominated Antinous as his successor, it's been a tradition in the West that full-time political leaders should be gay - or celibate and straight. That's how it's been with all the major governments, and of course the papacy. It's meant that instead of something desperately uncertain like a 'hereditary monarchy' (I'm not making that phrase up - there have actually been quite a few of these in the Far East!) , Emperors, Empresses, Kings and Queens have always nominated their successors - and even in the few republics we have in the world, their leaders have always been gay or celibate, so that they can concentrate on their duties without the distraction of a family.
I know that Iceland is a very small nation, but surely having a family is going to distract her from running the country properly. Won't she be at home with her husband and children when she should be meeting with Prime Minister Mandelson to discuss fishing quotas or something?
How would it have affected history if this had happened earlier and become widespread, say a hundred years ago?
And does anyone think this could work elsewhere now ? Even in America? After all, the great majority of American voters are in straight families. But is it reasonable to think for example, that the Republicans or Democrats could pick a straight married candidate to follow on from Larry Craig in 2012? I know it's a tall order, it would have to be someone who is no higher at the moment than a state senator or mayor of a small town.
Unless there's a closet straight in congress ....