Government Ministers of Justice Who Identify as LGBTQ

The Minister of Justice of a country, or in many cases the Attorney General, is considered the chief legal advisor to the ruling government. They most often have responsibility over legal protections, law enforcement agencies, prosecution actions, legislative legal initiatives, and general legal affairs. In countries with multiple political jurisdictions, there are multiple levels of Ministers or Attorney Generals whose individual responsibilities will be dictated by the division of powers stated in a country's constitution. In many cases, it is an elected position.

As such, their individual impact on non-discrimination policies, equal opportunity policies, and enforcement of existing protective legislation for the LGBTQ community is enormous. Having an LGBTQ individual hold this position guarantees that the legal interests of the LGBTQ community is represented and sustained.

Many government Attorney Generals and Ministers of Justice have ordered investigations into the maltreatment of the LGBTQ community. They have led many government's push for legislative changes to expand equal legal rights to the community, have overturned previously restrictive practices and policies, and have upheld the mechanisms by which discrimination can be brought to light and dealt with.

Many of the LGBTQ individuals who have held the post of Government Minister of Justice or Attorney General were prior activist lawyers fighting for the advancement of equal rights for the LGBTQ community. Their street smarts have positioned them to ensure that their hard fought legal battles continue to have the intended impact. These include, for example, the first gay Attorney General for Israel Amir Ohana, the first lesbian to hold the position in the U.S state of Michigan Dana Nessel, or New Zealand's Christopher Finlayson. Unfortunately, a change in the elected representative holding the office to an opponent of LGBTQ rights can also result in a deterioration of those rights for the community, as we are currently witnessing in the United States at the federal level.

We have identified the following LGBTQ individuals who have held the post of Government Minister of Justice or Attorney General. Simply click on their name to read their fascinating biography.

Canada

Denmark