Could a gay man/woman ever become president of the USA?

Whaleboy · August 7, 2003, 08:41

Frankly, I think its more likely that this could be the case in Britain within the next couple of decades than America. I don't know, is there a general popular homophobia, or is Bush's views representative of the general conservative opinion in America?

Discuss!

EDIT: Thanks to dinodocs hair-splitting, I fixed a typo

Whaleboy · August 7, 2003, 08:46

My opinion is that it would be difficult if not impossible. It is unfortunate

Arrian · August 7, 2003, 08:52

Quote:

Could a gay man/woman ever become president of the USA?

emphasis mine.

Since you put that word in, my answer is yes.

-Arrian

DinoDoc · August 7, 2003, 08:53

Quote:

Originally posted by elijah
is Bush's views representative of the general conservative opinion in Ameria?

How did Bush get to be in charge of Ameria? Where is Ameria anyway?

Q Classic · August 7, 2003, 08:53

no. "compassionate conservative christianity" (CCC) tends to have a stranglehold in many regions here. while such a candidate may be able to sway voters in the northeast, it's unlikely s/he'd be able to gain any states in the south, great plains, southwest, or possibly even most of the midwest.

Jon Miller · August 7, 2003, 08:55

no by a britain

yes by an american

two votes

Jon Miller

Flubber · August 7, 2003, 09:12

Yes

Look how sexual attitudes have changed in the last 50 years and consider how much they could change in the next 100 years. I don't see it happening in the next 20 years but I see it as possible after that due to shifts in attitudes.

Also, I took the question to mean "openly" gay since there may already have been a gay president for all I know

Meldor · August 7, 2003, 09:13

Voted yes. Ever is a long time.

Whaleboy · August 7, 2003, 09:14

Well, uncertainty principle dictates that if you consider "ever" to be infinite, then there will be, so lets use a reasonable timeframe, for example the one I gave of 20 years.

FrustratedPoet · August 7, 2003, 09:14

Probably during my lifetime, yes.

Starchild · August 7, 2003, 09:19

The President does not exist to wield power. He exists to draw attention away from those that wield power.

*fades back into the shadows and lights up a cig. Coughs lungs out and exchanges for a martini.*

You may call me Martini Drinking Man.

DinoDoc · August 7, 2003, 09:22

Wouldn't you rather be called FABULOUS Martini Drinking Man?

Wittlich · August 7, 2003, 09:28

I say yes, it could happen...but the most likely scenario would be that the President is elected and then comes out of his/her closet after the fact.

Arrian · August 7, 2003, 10:33

Oh, 20 years? That's VERY different than ever.

That's a pretty short time frame, as these things go. Therefore, I would say it's extrememly unlikely. We haven't had a female or non-white president yet, either, even though attitudes on gender & race have improved quite a bit.

Basically, the political power of the religious right must wane, and that's gonna take a little while, folks.

-Arrian

:) Smiley · August 7, 2003, 10:34

Unless the military changes its policies, since the President is commander in chief of the military, it's unlikely the US could accept a gay president in the next couple of decades. Further down the road maybe. It took more than half a century after Catholicism was tolerated in the US before a Catholic president was elected.

Flubber · August 7, 2003, 10:49

Within 20 years -- thats different . I don't believe that a declared homosexual will win the preseidency in that time frame . Within the 20 years timeframe, a lot of voting power will be wielded by my generation and people older.

The way I look at this is pretty simple

Voters older than me-- on average, little chance as there is a substantial group that would vehemently oppose

My contemporaries-- Possibly a majority of people would have no strong opposition to the concept but a significant minority would be vehemently opposed to a gay president. Combining those with people who oppose the candidate due to policies and party affiliation, I find it unlikely a gay candidate would win the day in this demographic unless they were a far superior candidate

Younger voters-- I believe the vehement anti-gay element is getting smaller and smaller over time. I wouldn't doubt that at some point trhe vehement anti-gay group might be balanced by a similar sized group that votes for a candidate only because (s)he is gay. Once those two groups balance, then the decision rests with the rest of the electorate on the actual merits of the candidates.

I see this taking some time but it will happen. I think there will be a woman president long before though.

Proteus_MST · August 7, 2003, 11:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Starchild
The President does not exist to wield power. He exists to draw attention away from those that wield power.

*fades back into the shadows and lights up a cig. Coughs lungs out and exchanges for a martini.*

You may call me Martini Drinking Man.

Which means, that it could be useful for the Presient to have two heads

I for my part think, that it is more likely that a gay man/woman will one day become President of the United states, than a man with two heads

red_jon · August 7, 2003, 12:04

It will be a long time for the United States - were a President to come out during his term in office it is possible he would be impeached.

Here, not as long but still a while. It's probable we'll have a non-white leader first. My guess is a Conservative Asian.

Shi Huangdi · August 7, 2003, 12:14

Probably not within 20 years, it is still normal for the President to be a family man with kids..

Japher · August 7, 2003, 12:31

What's a man/woman, is that some kind of hybrid or partial sex change type person?

Just kidding... Yes, it could happen. Maybe not in my life time, but hopefully by the end of my life this won't even be a hypothetical question.

Q Classic · August 7, 2003, 12:40

Quote:

It will be a long time for the United States - were a President to come out during his term in office it is possible he would be impeached.

Here, not as long but still a while. It's probable we'll have a non-white leader first. My guess is a Conservative Asian.

doubt it. i'd have to go with either women, blacks, or latinos first, since asians are currently ranked quite a bit less trustworthy than those categories. everybody wants an asian brain, but nobody wants to follow one: so you'll always seem them in cabinets and what not, but not in the driver's seat, not for a long, long while.

Dis · August 7, 2003, 12:50

Britain!

aren't those church memebers over there threatening to break apart from the U.S. church after they appointed a gay bishop?

Face it, the British are no more superior than the americans with regards to bigotry.

I don't see it happenning in the next 50 years. After that, anything is possible.

Wittlich · August 7, 2003, 13:00

Quote:

Originally posted by red_jon
...were a President to come out during his term in office it is possible he would be impeached.

Actually, if this were to happen, the President's sexual preferance would not be an impeachable offense...at least, under the law it is not.

Dis · August 7, 2003, 13:00

they could say he lied. But lying in general is not impeachable.

lying under oath like some presidents we know is impeachable

Wittlich · August 7, 2003, 13:04

Ah, but if the President was in his/her closest prior to being elected, they would not have to lie since the question concerning sexual preferance would never have been brought up (especially while under oath).

Japher · August 7, 2003, 13:05

I don't think it should ever be brought up under oath. The president, as Commander and Cheif, should fall under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy...

Dis · August 7, 2003, 13:06

good point.

It's not like being straight is a requirement for president.

But you must admit, people may ask questions if a non-married president runs for president.

We only had one bachelor president. And I believe it was widely known, he got it on with lots of women.

Boris Godunov · August 7, 2003, 13:06

Well, there was a Gallup poll conducted about this a couple of years ago, and the results were actually fairly surprising. A majority of Americans--59%--said they'd vote for a gay candidate so long as his/her political positions on other issues was compatible. This is, interestingly enough, compared to only 49% saying they'd vote for an atheist. In the same poll, there was a 2-1 margin saying they felt a gay candidate would be more honest than other candidates, since the biggest skeleton was already out of the closet, erm, so to speak.

Seriously, however, I doubt it would happen in the next 20 years. Maybe 50, more likely 100. Presuming the U.S. and such is still around then.

Japher · August 7, 2003, 13:07

Just thinking; wouldn't it be a hoot if they sic'd those Queer Eye for The Straigh Guy dudes on Pres. Bush...

That would be hilarious.

Japher · August 7, 2003, 13:09

Quote:

Seriously, however, I doubt it would happen in the next 20 years. Maybe 50, more likely 100

Heck, by then, they are likely to find the cure for homosexuality...