Greece Makes History And Appoints First Openly Gay Minister
Nicholas Yatromanolakis made history in Greece on January 4, when he
was named in his new role as Deputy Minister of Culture, which makes him the first听openly gay minister in the country’s history.
44 year old Yatromanolakis was granted his new role as part of a cabinet reshuffle听by the centre-right government. The new role represents a promotion from his听previous position as General Secretary of Contemporary Culture at the same听department – another time he made history as the highest serving openly gay听politician in Greece!
The new Deputy Minster of Culture is a native of Athens. He has a Masters in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in听Massachusetts in the United States.
On his , Yatromanolakis mentions he鈥檚 a dad to Patrick the ginger cat and Vrasidas the rescue dog, uses ‘he/him鈥� pronouns. Politically he tends to focus on LGBTQI and human rights, the mental and physical health of children and the social inclusion of vulnerable and marginalised populations.
听Greece鈥檚 complicated history
While modern Greece is considered one of the more liberal countries in Southeast听Europe, marriage equality is actually not a thing there. Same sex civil unions are听recognised and same-sex couples in a civil partnership may become foster parents听but they cannot adopt children, though LGBTQI individuals may adopt.
Ancient Greece has an even more complicated back story when it comes to the听history of homosexuality in it鈥檚 society. Adult men did have sexual relations with听each other in Ancient Greece but these relationships, especially between men of听similar social statuses were usually seen as problematic – though the attached听stigma was usually reserved for the 鈥榩assive鈥� partner in the relationship.
Australia鈥檚 LGBTQI politicians
Contemporary Australia鈥檚 history of gay representation in politics is somewhat rosier,听though there is still a ways to go. As reported by the Star Observer at the end of听2020, there were to 20 local councils across听Victoria and in October 2020 鈥淎ustralia鈥檚 first and only openly gay head of state or听territory, for a sixth consecutive term in听the 2020 ACT elections鈥�
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