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IronLionZion

(45,163 posts)
Fri May 26, 2017, 12:38 PM May 2017

Why this photo of political spouses and partners is making waves



(CNN)What's the first thing you noticed about this picture of political spouses and partners, other than Melania Trump's continued mastery of the color black?

It's probably the man in the back row, standing out against the nine women pictured. That's Gauthier Destenay, the First Gentleman of Luxembourg and the husband of the world's only acting openly gay prime minister.

Destenay and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel wed in 2015, right after Luxembourg legalized gay marriage. When Bettel won the Prime Ministership in 2013, he was already in a civil partnership with Destenay and their sexualities were not a secret.

To be clear, Bettel isn't the only gay prime minister ever, just the only one in office right now. Former Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and former Icelandic Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurõardóttir were both public about their sexualities.

Can you name the rest of the people in this photograph? We'll help you out:

First row: First Lady of France Brigitte Macron, First Lady of Turkey Emine Gulbaran Erdogan, First Lady of the US Melania Trump, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg's partner Ingrid Schulerud, Partner of Bulgaria's President Desislava Radeva, partner of Belgium's Prime Minister Amelie Derbaudrenghien

Second row: First Gentleman of Luxembourg Gauthier Destenay, partner of Slovenia's Prime Minister Mojca Stropnik, and First Lady of Iceland Thora Margret Baldvinsdottir.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/26/world/luxembourg-prime-minister-husband-gauthier-destenay-trnd/index.html

I was expecting more men in this photo. There are a lot of female leaders in Europe.
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Why this photo of political spouses and partners is making waves (Original Post) IronLionZion May 2017 OP
He's "only acting openly gay"? jberryhill May 2017 #1
looks like a mistake IronLionZion May 2017 #3
Guess they forgot jehop61 May 2017 #2
Wait. Why aren't there male spouses in the photo? leftstreet May 2017 #4
That's the first thing I noticed IronLionZion May 2017 #6
"mastery of the color black" is a thing? underpants May 2017 #5
It's a talent apparently IronLionZion May 2017 #7
I wish Bill Clinton were in that photo so bad IronLionZion May 2017 #8
This is the first photo where Melania actually looks happy. (nt) matt819 May 2017 #9
First thing I noticed was the lady on the far left looks like she is ready to kill a motherfucker snooper2 May 2017 #10
That is a very bad picture of the lady. dixiegrrrrl May 2017 #13
Melania is overdressed for the occasion. Tracer May 2017 #11
That was my first thought. What's with the gown in the middle of the day? Squinch May 2017 #12
 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
1. He's "only acting openly gay"?
Fri May 26, 2017, 12:41 PM
May 2017

Why is he doing that?

"That's Gauthier Destenay, the First Gentleman of Luxembourg and the husband of the world's only acting openly gay prime minister."

Oh, well, as the saying goes... I don't mind straight people, just as long as they act gay in public.

Did they make that a rule in Luxembourg?

leftstreet

(36,064 posts)
4. Wait. Why aren't there male spouses in the photo?
Fri May 26, 2017, 12:49 PM
May 2017

er...this was just for female spouses? But the gay spouse isn't female.

I'm confused.

 

snooper2

(30,151 posts)
10. First thing I noticed was the lady on the far left looks like she is ready to kill a motherfucker
Fri May 26, 2017, 01:05 PM
May 2017

LOL

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
13. That is a very bad picture of the lady.
Fri May 26, 2017, 07:23 PM
May 2017

She is actually drop dead gorgeous, I think I have a crush on her.
AND..she is 30 years older than her husband, used to be his school teacher!
viva le France, indeed.

Tracer

(2,769 posts)
11. Melania is overdressed for the occasion.
Fri May 26, 2017, 01:20 PM
May 2017

All the other women are in "daytime" dresses and Melania looks like she is about to go to a nighttime soirée.

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