Homosexual-conspiracy theorist Ian Wishart's unauthorised 'biography' of Prime Minister Helen Clark, which 'outed' her as a closet lesbian, has caused bemusement from the Prime Minister's office, and one NZ Herald columnist. The November cover story in Wishart's Investigate magazine alleges that Clark is acting out her repressed desires in a Freudian manner by allowing for same-sex relationship recognition and increasing gay content on television. “Most biographers of living people at least attempt to speak to their subject. Did Wishart? He doesn't say,” says Herald columnist Diana Wichtel. "Perhaps fronting up to Clark about her 'deepest secrets, from her socialist roots, to ‘those' rumours' would have got in the way of a story that says much more about the writer than the subject. "In conspiracy-theory mode, Wishart notes the presence of an unnamed bisexual "senior appointee" at TVNZ and comments on the sexuality of the Chief Film Censor and his deputy. The spectre of Government interference in TVNZ is raised: "The Prime Minister herself publicly called on TVNZ last year to screen its gay and lesbian lifestyle show, Queer Nation, in a more popular timeslot." Last time I looked Queer Nation was showing at the very popular timeslot of 11pm." Press secretary for the Prime Minister, David Lewis, says he has read Wishart's article, but is unaware if Helen Clark has herself. "She's not a regular reader of Investigate magazine," he said. "I don't think many people are."
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 15th November 2003 - 12:00pm