New Coaln Berl Elects First Openly Gay Mayor - Los Angel Tim

berlin gay mayor

Berl Mayor Kls Wowere—the first high-profile openly gay German polician—has announced that he will end his 13 years office this December....

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BERL ELECTS GAY MAYOR

Cy lawmakers elect Berl's first openly gay mayor, bolsterg the cy's crentials as one of the world's gay pals, a polil shift that also uld open the way for the former East German munists to enter the ernment. * berlin gay mayor *

BERLIN -- Cy lawmakers elected Berl's first openly gay mayor Saturday, bolsterg the cy's crentials as one of the world's gay pals, a polil shift that also uld open the way for the former East German munists to enter the Wowere, a Social Democrat, tak over on an terim basis after the aln that led the cy for a llapsed amid a bank sndal and mountg shift removed the nservative Christian Democrats, led by outgog Mayor Eberhard Diepgen, who had been the senr partners wh the center-left Social Democrats the aln formed soon after least until new electns this fall, Berl will be n by a aln of the Social Democrats and the Greens party mirrorg the ernment on the natnal level, led by Chancellor Gerhard Schroer. ''Wowere, 47, was a ltle-known polil figure before grabbg natnwi attentn last weekend when he me out as gay at a party nventn before his nomatn.

``I am gay, and that's a good thg, '' he said, later admtg that he ma the statement bee of mors that tabloids were planng a story on his then, he has emphasized terviews that he's a ``polician who's gay, but not a gay polician'' and that he hasn't foced on gay issu.

Neverthels, Wowere's electn was greeted wh applse and some cheers when was announced Saturday at a street ftival Berl's Schoeneberg district, the heart of the cy's thrivg gay and lbian a booth for the lol branch of Germany's natnal Lbian and Gay Associatn, those attendg the ftival uld pay 65 cents for the chance to toss balls and knock over pictur of three nservative state ernors who oppose a new law givg greater legal stat to gay member Bodo Men, shoutg out to passers-by to take a crack at the lawmakers, said he hoped Wowere would take a leadg role phg the gay marriage law the upper hoe of parliament, where stat are symbolism is important Germany and the pal, also eastern Germany, '' Men said of Wowere's electn. ''The choice of Wowere was a further sign that Europe is creasgly at ease wh homosexuals polics g three months after Paris voters elected an openly gay 's history as a gay metropolis go back as far as the 19th century, when some historians say was the birthplace of the gay rights, the vibrant baret and theater scene of the 1920s and 1930s fueled the muny's growth. That all me to a halt after the Nazis took power 1933, eventually nmng homosexuals along wh Jews and Gypsi to ncentratn the war, Wt Berl's stat as a closed-off enclave where rints were granted an exceptn om the draft also led to a prospero left-wg scene where homosexualy wasn't taboo.

BERL'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR

The man likely to be Berl's next mayor has stunned the polil and media tablishment by beg the first senr polician Germany to adm that he is gay. * berlin gay mayor *

B E R L I N, June 20, 2001 -- Cy lawmakers elected Berl's first openly gaymayor Saturday, bolsterg the cy's crentials as one of theworld's gay pals, a polil shift that also uld open theway for the former East German munists to enter the Wowere, a Social Democrat, tak over on an terimbasis after the aln that led the cy for a llapsed amid a bank sndal and mountg bts. "An Unknown Until Last WeekendWowere, 47, was a ltle-known polil figure beforegrabbg natnwi attentn last weekend when he me out as gayat a party nventn before his nomatn. "I am gay, and that's a good thg, " he said, later admtgthat he ma the statement bee of mors that tabloids wereplanng a story on his homosexualy.

Sce then, he has emphasized terviews that he's a"polician who's gay, but not a gay polician" — and that hehasn't foced on gay issu. Neverthels, Wowere's electn was greeted wh applse andsome cheers when was announced Saturday at a street ftival Berl's Schoeneberg district, the heart of the cy's thrivg gayand lbian scene. At a booth for the lol branch of Germany's natnal Lbianand Gay Associatn, those attendg the ftival uld pay 65cents for the chance to toss balls and knock over pictur of threenservative state ernors who oppose a new law givg greaterlegal stat to gay Important Symbol for Germany's Gay Rights MovementBoard member Bodo Men, shoutg out to passers-by to take acrack at the lawmakers, said he hoped Wowere would take a leadgrole phg the gay marriage law the upper hoe ofparliament, where stat are reprented.

" The choice of Wowere was a further sign that Europe iscreasgly at ease wh homosexuals polics — g threemonths after Paris voters elected an openly gay mayor. Berl's history as a gay metropolis go back as far as the19th century, when some historians say was the birthplace of thegay rights movement.

NEW COALN BERL ELECTS FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR

That all me to a halt afterthe Nazis took power 1933, eventually nmng homosexualsalong wh Jews and Gypsi to ncentratn mps.

After the war, Wt Berl's stat as a closed-off enclavewhere rints were granted an exceptn om the draft also ledto a prospero left-wg scene where homosexualy wasn't taboo. From Associated Prs BERLIN — Cy lawmakers elected Berl’s first openly gay mayor Saturday, bolsterg the cy’s crentials as one of the world’s gay pals, a polil shift that also uld open the way for the former East German Communists to enter the Wowere, a Social Democrat, tak over on an terim basis after the aln that led the cy for a llapsed amid a bank sndal and mountg shift removed the nservative Christian Democrats, led by outgog Mayor Eberhard Diepgen, who had been the senr partners wh the center-left Social Democrats the aln formed soon after least until new electns this fall, Berl will be n by a aln of the Social Democrats and the Greens party--mirrorg the natnal ernment led by Chancellor Gerhard Schroer.

“I am gay, and that’s a good thg, ” he said, later admtg that he ma the statement bee of mors that tabloids were planng a story on his then, he has emphasized terviews that he’s a “polician who’s gay, but not a gay polician”--and that he hasn’t foced on gay issu. Neverthels, Wowere’s electn was greeted wh applse and some cheers when was announced Saturday at a street ftival Berl’s Schoeneberg district, the heart of the cy’s thrivg gay and lbian scene.

BERL POLICIAN ADMS HE IS GAY

“The symbolism is important-- Germany and the pal, also eastern Germany, ” said Bodo Men, a board member of the natnal Lbian and Gay Assn.

"I'm gay and that's a good thg, " he told lleagu jt before they unanimoly voted him as their mayoral ndidate at the weekend.

BERL’S OPENLY GAY MAYOR STEPS DOWN. THE AIRPORT’S A DISASTER, BUT THE CY IS COOL.

"I've never policked for gays, but as a gay I am a polician. "The handsome 47-year-old lawyer's remarks have tapulted him to the centre of attentn, leadg to lls om gay groups for other policians to out themselv.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* BERLIN GAY MAYOR

Berl Elects Gay Mayor | WIRED .

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