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First gay candidate runs for Senate

Hromada hopes bid will further acceptance of homosexuals

By Ondřej Bouda
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
April 30th, 2008 issue

VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
Green Party candidate Jiří Hromada has come under fire by some for his sexual orientation, but says his openness is an asset.
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A cultural measure



In 2006, the Czech Republic was the first former Eastern bloc country to legalize registered partnerships for same-sex couples. Since then:
487 same-sex partnerships were registered in the Czech Republic
353 of the couples are gay
134 of the couples are lesbian
22 percent of Czechs polled in 2007 support the right of same-sex couples to adopt children
29 percent wouldn't want a gay or lesbian neighbor

Sources: Sidovsky Management, CVVM

Well-known gay and lesbian rights activist Jiří Hromada has become the first openly homosexual candidate to run for the Senate in the Czech Republic. Nominated by the Green Party April 19, Hromada’s name will be on the ballot in the upcoming fall elections.
Following reports of his nomination, news servers such as Novinky and Aktuálně.cz had to shut down online discussions because they were full of homophobic and vulgar comments. The right-wing extremist National Party immediately issued a press statement branding Hromada a “homosexual deviant.” Despite years of hard work by many gay and lesbian activists, it seemed from such reactions that homophobic feelings are still a part of the national culture, and Hromada’s candidacy in the upcoming election could serve as a test of the public’s tolerance and open-mindedness.
Hromada’s official career as a gay rights activist ended in late 2006, when he retired as chairman of the Gay Initiative, a group that had spearheaded the movement for registered partnerships for 17 years. At the same time, the organization folded, feeling its mission had been largely completed.
“Our goal from the start in 1990 was not to be needed,” Hromada said, echoing statements he’d made at the time. “We had achieved what we set out to do and now it was time for the younger generation to take over and fight for their own needs.”
During its existence, the Gay Initiative helped to raise support for gay rights among the general public from 10 percent in 1990 to 70 percent in 2006, when the law allowing registered partnerships was passed despite President President Václav Klaus’ veto.
Following that success, Hromada wanted to return to his life as an actor and enjoy his achievements. Instead, in 2007 he was asked by the newly formed Human Rights and Minorities Ministry to share his experience and help minorities in a consultant capacity — a request he accepted. Now, more than a year later, the Greens have asked him to run for the Senate, making him the first official gay candidate.
There are many examples of gay and lesbian politicians in Europe, Hromada says, pointing out that the current mayors of Berlin and Paris are openly among them. Homosexual communities have long been accepted in Western Europe, where society tends not to discriminate based on sexual orientation, either socially or legally.
By allowing same-sex unions in 2006, the Czech Republic made an important step toward equality on a legislative level, but in the everyday life of the general public, gays and lesbians have yet to achieve total acceptance. Hromada wants to change this.
“One of the reasons I accepted the nomination was to prove to others that sexual orientation is not important and that people should judge others by their capabilities,” he said.
He knows from personal experience how hard it can be for a minority to find a sympathetic voice in Parliament, so he wants to concentrate on listening to minority issues and hastening their passage through the legislative process if he manages to win the election.
First, however, he will have to test the progressiveness of the society that he helped to form, and find out if it’s as tolerant as he hopes. Comments from extremist political parties suggest that all is not well.
“To mix homosexual deviants into politics is the worst thing that can happen,” said Michal Ševčík, spokesman for the National Party. “Next we’ll see pedophiles and zoophiles claiming their place in society.”
Hromada lightly dismisses such comments. “Uninformed stupidity cannot be weeded out,” he said, pointing out that, despite such sentiments, “There is no rise in homophobic feelings. That illusion is caused by the tabloidization of the press, which gives unwarranted coverage to extremists.” He also added his belief that the loudest opponents are usually latent homosexuals who are afraid to admit the truth. “They are the most aggressive toward our community, because they envy our freedom.”
To illustrate his case, he says there already are several gay politicians who are afraid to come out of the closet. “During our effort to pass the partnership bill we met two types of political gays,” he said. “Some would secretly admit their orientation and quietly support us, while others became our staunchest opponents and tried to stop the bill at all costs.”
Faith in the common voter
Despite the hateful comments toward gays that have appeared in online discussions and in formal press statements, Hromada does not think voters will have a problem with his sexuality. He’s found that the voters he’s met in person have been generally supportive of his decision and prefer to concentrate on his professional qualities and ask questions as they would of any other candidate. He adds that the best place to test public opinion is in a village pub.
“Despite their machismo and traditional upbringing, the men respect me and admire the courage that it took to come out,” he said. “At the same time they call their local closet gay a ‘faggot,’ poke fun at him and despise him for lying to himself and everyone around.”
Hromada says telling the truth is much more important for voters than sexual orientation, especially in a political environment that has become notorious for its level of corruption. Consequently, he sees his openness as an asset and refuses to accept the possibility that his sexuality could be liability.
However, when considering some of the reactions to his nomination one question springs to mind: Will other candidates use his sexual orientation against him? In 1999, libelous posters appeared about another Senate candidate, Václav Fišer, calling attention to his alleged homosexuality (a claim Fišer denied).
Hromada dismisses such past events, instead viewing his nomination as an opportunity for further understanding between society and its minorities.
“If I win, it will be a pleasant realization that society has fully accepted gays,” he said, adding that, even if he doesn’t, “it will be another step toward complete equality.”

Ondřej Bouda can be reached at news@praguepost.com


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