Australian politico Penny Wong breaks not one, but two records this week:
South Australia Senator Penny Wong Ying Yen has been appointed minister for water and climate change by new Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
The 39-year-old lawyer is the first Asian-born person to become a Cabinet minister as well as the first gay person of either sex.
An Asian lesbian politician? We knew the future would blow our minds, but this is just crazy!
Wong’s first mission will bring her to Bali, where world leaders are attending a UN-sponsored summit on climate change. The 39-year old lady lover will be accompanied by Prime Minister Rudd and environment minister Peter Garrett, who once front a band called Midnight Oil. Ha!
[Update: Australian gossip-monger Ben Widdicombe informs us that Pink News UK, our source, got this story wrong: Wong isn’t the first gay cabinet member. Writes Widdicombe,
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Penny Wong is certainly not the first gay Aussie cabinet minister. One of the reasons Australia ‘s response to the HIV crisis in the 1980s was so strong was that federal Health Minister Neal Blewett, although married with two children, was widely known in the gay community to be homosexual. However he was considered so strong on AIDS public health policy–especially compared to U.S. inaction during the same time–that the gay press gave him a virtual “closet pass.”
Blewett came out in 2000 and lives with his partner Robert Brain.
Thanks Ben!
AnalWarts
I am commenting on this one, just because she looks so pathetic and no-one is giving it any attention.
Gavin McGuren
Penny Wong still deserves recognition as the first openly gay/lesbian member of cabinet. Neal Blewett was certainly not identifying as gay during his cabinet days, and I imagine there have been plenty of closeted members of cabinet over the years, from both sides of the political divide, including at least one former Prime Minister. Penny Wong will be joined in the Senate by out lesbian and veteran GLBT rights campaigner Louise Pratt.
steph
she doesn’t look pathetic at all! in fact, i find her handsome and the right person for the job. i’m glad she’s on our team! does anyone know if she’s taken?
george rock
Too bad she doesn’t have a clue about her portfolio. Pollution and overfishing is killing the coral not global warming. Ocean temps have not risen in 10 years. Just another sellout politician lying to us to generate fear and gain votes. Also over irrigation in qld is what is drying out the murray. Don’t believe the hype!