A senior political journalist has brought up the irony in New Zealand being ranked the second most gay friendly place in the world, in light of the debate over Labour leadership hopeful Grant Robertson’s sexuality. Lonely Planet points to New Zealand’s “inclusive and progressive behaviour” in putting it behind only Copenhagen in the new list of “the most gay-friendly places on the planet”. In a column, Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper says this is ironic “because there's a cuffed hand debate going on over whether our progressive country's ready for an openly gay leader in Grant Robertson.” He writes: “The argument goes like this, and it's one that's been put to me by a prominent Labour figure. How would an old digger in an RSA feel about being greeted by the new Labour leader and then being introduced to his partner Alf? “There's an easy counter to that argument though. How many times did Helen Clark, or for that matter John Key, front up in a watering hole with their partners? The answer is rarely, if ever.” Soper says New Zealand has been liberal enough to bring in Homosexual Law Reform and same-sex marriage before many other nations, asking “so why don't we have the courage of our convictions? Only time will tell!”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 22nd October 2014 - 10:39am