Gay policians e out of the closet and to the bet - The Globe and Mail

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Gay rights movement, civil rights movement that advot equal rights for LGBTQ persons—that is, for lbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenr persons, and queer persons—and lls for an end to discrimatn agast LGBTQ persons employment, cred, hog, public acmodatns, and other areas of life.

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GLEN MURRAY BE NORTH AMERI’S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR OF A MAJOR CY (OCTOBER 28, 1998)

On October 28, 1998, Glen Murray ma history when he was elected Wnipeg’s 41st mayor, beg the first openly gay mayor of any large cy North Ameri. Murray was re-elected 2002.  * gay mayor canada *

On October 28, 1998, Glen Murray ma history when he was elected Wnipeg’s 41st mayor, beg the first openly gay mayor of any large cy North Ameri. Ottawa mayor Jim Watson, 58, has e out as gay a personal say for the Ottawa Cizen. "My reluctance has not allowed me to live my life as full of love and adventure as my gay iends who were bolr and braver than I ever was.

CANADIAN MAYOR COM OUT AS GAY AT 58 HEARTFELT OPEN LETTER"BETTER LATE THAN NEVER," JIM WATSON {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY BRANDON VOSSAUGT 18, 2019/12:44 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:2250PX;WIDTH:3000PX;}MAS PANAGTAKIS - WORLD RUGBY VIA GETTY IMAGOTTAWA, ON - MARCH 29: MAYOR JIM WATSON OF OTTAWA POS WH THE WEBB ELLIS CUP DURG DAY FOUR OF THE RUGBY WORLD CUP 2019 TROPHY TOUR ON MARCH 29, 2019 OTTAWA, ONTAR, CANADA. (PHOTO BY MAS PANAGTAKIS - WORLD RUGBY VIA GETTY IMAG/WORLD RUGBY VIA GETTY IMAG)BY BRANDON VOSSAUGT 18, 2019 / 12:44 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"CANADIAN MAYOR COM OUT AS GAY AT 58 HEARTFELT OPEN LETTER","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-08-18T16:44:16.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-08-18T16:44:16.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"BRANDON VOSS","KEYWORDS":"TERNATNAL","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE'S GAY, EH?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OTTAWA MAYOR JIM WATSON, 58, HAS E OUT AS GAY A PERSONAL SAY FOR THE OTTAWA CIZEN. HE HAS SERVED AS MAYOR OF CANADA'S PAL CY SCE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I’M GAY," WATSON BEGS HIS OPEN LETTER, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED SATURDAY. "THERE—I SAID ; OR RATHER WROTE . THOSE TWO WORDS TOOK ME ALMOST FOUR S TO UTTER, BUT AS THEY SAY, 'BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"AS I LOOK BACK OVER MY LIFE, AND HDSIGHT, NOT G OUT SOONER WAS A BIG MISTAKE ON MY PART," HE NTU, LLG THE SAY 40 YEARS THE MAKG. "MY RELUCTANCE HAS NOT ALLOWED ME TO LIVE MY LIFE AS FULL OF LOVE AND ADVENTURE AS MY GAY IENDS WHO WERE BOLR AND BRAVER THAN I EVER WAS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"OVER THE YEARS, I TOLD ONLY TWO (GAY) IENDS THAT I WAS GAY, ALTHOUGH I SPECT MOST OF MY FAY AND IENDS JT ASSUMED I WAS, BUT RPECTED MY PRIVACY AND NEVER BROACHED THE SUBJECT," HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WATSON ALSO TAILS GROWG UP "VERY SOCIALLY AWKWARD," BEG LLED "JIM FAIRY" ON THE SCHOOL B AND LATER VELOPG CSH ON ACTORS LIKE ROB LOWE AND BRAD PT. EVEN WHILE ATTENDG HIS LIBERAL LLEGE HE WAS "TOO SHY OR RELUCTANT TO E TO GRIPS WH MY OWN SEXUALY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I WAS ELECTED TO OTTAWA CY COUNCIL WHEN I WAS 30, AND FOR MOST OF MY PUBLIC LIFE, MY SEXUALY WAS NOT AN ISSUE," HE WR, POTG TO ONE MEMORABLE NONTATN WH A HOMOPHOBIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I’M PROUD OF MY TRACK RERD ON LGBTQ ISSU, OM VOTG FAVOUR OF A MOTN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TO BEG THE FIRST OTTAWA MAYOR TO MARCH THE PRI PARA DURG MY FIRST TERM." IN OTHER WORDS, HE WAS NO AARON SCHOCK.ANDREA CARD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGOTTAWA, ON - MARCH 16: MAYOR OF OTTAWA JIM WATSON SPEAKS DURG THE STANLEY CUP HOMEG AS PART OF THE STANLEY CUPS 125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATNS ON MARCH 16, 2017 OTTAWA, ONTAR, CANADA. (PHOTO BY ANDREA CARD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I’VE STGGLED OFTEN ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO E OUT," WATSON ADMS. "SWIRLG AROUND MY MD WERE THOUGHTS LIKE HOW MY FAY AND IENDS WOULD REACT. WOULD AFFECT MY RELATNSHIP WH MY NSTUENTS?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHILE HE SAYS THERE WASN'T REALLY "ONE EUREKA MOMENT," WATSON POTS TO TWO KEY CINTS THAT SPIRED HIM TO SPEAK HIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2014 THE MAYOR TWEETED THAT HE WOULD FLY THE PRI FLAG AT CY HALL SOLIDARY WH LGBTQ ATHLET PETG AT THE OLYMPIC GAM SOCHI. SOMEONE TWEETED, "THIS IS A STUPID WASTE OF TIME. YOU’VE LOST MY VOTE." WATSON RPOND, "IF YOU HAVE THAT POT OF VIEW, I REALLY DON’T WANT YOUR VOTE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LATER, A MAN APPROACHED WATSON AND SAID, "I HOPE YOU’RE NOT GOG TO MARCH THAT FAG PARA," REFERRG TO THE UPG PRI PARA OTTAWA. "I’M LOOKG FORWARD TO MARCHG THE PRI PARA," WATSON REPLIED, "AND I PLAN ON DOG SO AGA, SO WHY DON’T YOU JO ME?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WATSON NCLUS HIS SAY WH THIS ADVICE: "DON’T FEEL PRSURED OR SHED TO E OUT, BUT DON’T WA 40 YEARS EHER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Mayor of one of Canada's biggt ci Ottawa, Jim Watson, has revealed he's been livg the closet as a gay man for 40 years. * gay mayor canada *

""Over the years, I told only two (gay) iends that I was gay, although I spect most of my fay and iends jt assumed I was, but rpected my privacy and never broached the subject, " he also tails growg up "very socially awkward, " beg lled "Jim Fairy" on the school b and later velopg csh on actors like Rob Lowe and Brad Pt. ""I was elected to Ottawa Cy Council when I was 30, and for most of my public life, my sexualy was not an issue, " he wr, potg to one memorable nontatn wh a homophobic activist. Longtime Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson me out as gay a lumn the Ottawa Cizen on Saturday, wrg that the announcement was “better late than never.

There were virtually no rourc for LGBTQ stunts to seek guidance or help, he wrote, and he uldn’t remember ever meetg an openly gay stunt before llege. “My reluctance has not allowed me to live my life as full of love and adventure as my gay iends who were bolr and braver than I ever was. (Judy Trh/CBC)Jt a day before Pri celebratns Ottawa officially kick off, Ottawa's Mayor Jim Watson has e out as an openly gay said on Saturday was time to share his secret wh the cy after 40 years of worryg about how his nstuents, iends and fay would react.

"I've been thkg about for 40 years … I've known I was gay sce I was a teenager, " he said.

OTTAWA MAYOR JIM WATSON OUT AS GAY

In 2020, Col Rathniak ma history of La Ronge, when he was elected as the first openly gay mayor of the town, suated Northern Saskatchewan, Canad * gay mayor canada *

"He said he chose to e out bee was "the right thg to do, " but wish he'd told everyone Jim Watson explas makg this cisnMayor Jim Watson officially reveals he's gayMayor Jim Watson officially reveals he's gay"My hope is … hopefully will make easier for some young people who are havg doubts about whether they should say anythg, " he said.

"Watson said he's the only openly gay mayor of a cy Ontar, and the first said the reactn to his announcement has been mostly Sabour, the chair of Capal Pri, said took a lot of urage for Watson to e out. A homophobic slur was found spray-pated on the street outsi of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s home. It was his neighbors who poted out that was a homophobic slur and an explétive, and he realized that he had read upsi-down the morng.

“I’m appalled by the news that homophobic graffi was wrten outsi Mayor Jim Watson’s home, ” he wrote.

MAYOR JIM WATSON OFFICIALLY OUT AS GAY

Is beg gay a polil non-issue now? * gay mayor canada *

I’m appalled by the news that homophobic graffi was wrten outsi Mayor @JimWatsonOttawa’s home. 3 m readMayor of one of Canada’s biggt ci Ottawa has revealed he’s been livg the closet as a gay man for 40 years.

Watson said he was spired to wre the lumn after he raised the pri flag at cy hall durg the 2014 Olympic Gam Rsia to show solidary wh LGBTQ athlet who feared the Rsian ernment’s views on homosexualy. “Over the years, I told only two (gay) iends that I was gay, although I spect most of my fay and iends jt assumed I was, but rpected my privacy and never broached the subject.

In the lumn, Watson wr that his reluctance to e out about his sexualy prived him of livg a life “full of love and adventure” that his openly gay iends got to experience. In 2020, Col Rathniak ma history of La Ronge, when he was elected as the first openly gay mayor of the town, suated Northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Col is planng to participate at the Baltic Pri 2022 Vilni and agreed to chat wh LGL about his are the first openly gay mayor La Ronge’s history.

GAY MAYOR OF CANADA’S PAL SLURRED OUTSI HIS HOME SO HIS NEIGHBORS WOULD SEE

The mayor of Ottawa revealed on Saturday that he is gay, an announcement that on the eve of gay pri week the Canadian pal cy. * gay mayor canada *

I thk that ’s a huge step, even for Northern Saskatchewan to elect an openly gay mayor to reprent them not only on municipal, provcial stage, but now I announced to my Council on Tuday that I was potentially gog to the Baltic Pri on an ternatnal level.

I lived Toronto, the UK, I was travellg to big urban centr where there were gay bars, gay culture where I found my muny. Even when I went to plac like Dubai, where is illegal to be gay and I’m thkg whether I need to tone down. The mayor of Ottawa, Canada's pal, me out an op-ed the Ottawa Cizen this Watson is now Ottawa's first openly gay mayor.

CANADIAN MAYOR JIM WATSON COM OUT AS GAY AFTER 40 YEARS THE CLOSET

"And throughout high school, I hontly n't rell meetg or beiendg one openly gay stunt, " wrote Watson, noted the growg acceptance of LGBTQ liv the 2000s, but still enuntered homophobia. The mayor scribed how an antigay nstuent once asked him a 2003 cy uncil meetg whether he was gay, but the qutn was cricized and flected by another uncilmember. '"Watson exprsed regret at not g out sooner, watchg out LGBTQ iends prosper at work and relatnships: "My reluctance has not allowed me to live my life as full of love and adventure as my gay iends who were bolr and braver than I ever was.

Although Watson has marched the para before, the mayor of Canada's pal cy had never done so as an out gay man. "Most of my iends who are gay are que open about , and many are wonrful relatnships or, several s, married.

The weddg marked the first time that a feral polician married his same-sex Toronto mayoral ndidate Gee Smherman kissed his spoe, Christopher Peloso, before a bank of meras this week, he announced his mpaign wh a public display of affectn normally rerved for heterosexual ndidat and their gture may have appeared sual, but signalled two thgs to Canadians: that same-sex marriage is beg an acceptable part of the untry's social and polil geography and that beg openly gay is no longer a liabily for policians. Smherman will be gettg a whole lot more visibily durg the next year as he seeks to bee the first gay mayor of Canada's largt cy.

COL RATHNIAK: PROFSNAL ICE SKATER TURNED FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR OF LA RONGE (CANADA)

And he may not be the only ndidate reachg for that goal: He will probably be challenged by another openly gay polician, Glen Murray.

GAY POLICIANS E OUT OF THE CLOSET AND TO THE BET

The two-term former mayor of Wnipeg has not yet formally announced his ndidacy, but he has acknowledged that he is nsirg jog the opponent, turn, will almost certaly be bsman and rad host John Tory, a socially progrsive nservative who once lost a hard-fought provcial ridg race to another openly gay ndidate, Kathleen a one-time health mister, Mr. But are Canadians outsi large urban centr - pecially those small towns or ral areas - prepared to elect openly gay policians to top learship rol, such as premier or prime mister?

"A 2007 Environics survey found that 75 per cent of Canadians agree or strongly agree that gays and lbians should be permted to n for public office, the hight approval level of all untri the Wtern Hemisphere. (In the Caribbean and Central Ameri, up to 89 per cent of those polled felt that gay ndidat should not be allowed to stand for electn. Raysi says there is ltle Canadian public opn rearch on how voters perceive gay policians.

MAYOR OF CANADIAN PAL CY OTTAWA OUT AS GAY

Last year's electn of Barack Obama ially looked like a new chapter Amerin race relatns, but the outpourg of hatred toward the first Ain-Amerin Print over the past summer suggts that old prejudic n and do lger jt beneath the have long been - and still are - gay policians who have not e out of the proverbial closet to their nstuents for fear of losg future first wave of openly gay policians - csars such as former Burnaby MP Svend Robson and long-time Edmonton cy uncillor Michael Phair - foced their energi on equy-foced issu such as affordable hog, police nduct and employment-equy recent years, they have been succeed by a younger generatn for whom sexual orientatn is cintal to a range of other polil objectiv.

As Nova Stia Liberal MP Stt Brison has put , he is not a gay polician but rather a polician who happens to be Murray, Canada's first gay mayor, was elected a heavily suburban cy and voted much of his time office to reformg Wnipeg's tax base and addrsg environmental issu. "After a uple of terms, 's the muny I'm clost to, " he Smherman's polil reer dat to a 1995 ntroversy over same-sex benefs, and he was later elected a ridg wh a large gay populatn. He have bee Canada's first openly gay premier, enjoyg a public profile that others - such the late New Bnswick premier Richard Hatfield, who remaed the closet durg his long polil reer - never attaed?

GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

"Still, there are subtle but signifint differenc between servg as an openly gay MP, MPP or cy uncillor, and holdg a proment polil learship most people take them for granted, the habs of high public office are steeped the symbols of heterosexual marriage.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY MAYOR CANADA

Glen Murray Be North Ameri’s First Openly Gay Mayor Of A Major Cy (October 28, 1998) | IN Magaze .

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