Mayor
Many LGBTQ people aspire to politics and often their first step is at the local level. Perhaps not the most glamorous of jobs – dealing with matters such as transportation, garbage pickup, local bylaws, and many social issues – being mayor deals with issues which directly affect our everyday lives.
Cities around the world with an LGBTQ mayor vary from small municipalities with only a few hundred residents to large metropolitan areas including Paris, Houston, and Berlin. While dealing with a wide variety of issues is par for the course for these individuals, no doubt issues particular to the gay community receive their due attention.
Cities with LGBTQ mayors are located in countries such as France, Germany, Switzerland, Chile, Colombia, Luxembourg, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Poland, India, Australia, Spain, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, the United States, The Netherlands, Malta, Italy, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain.
The number of LGBTQ mayors in the world is growing so quickly and has reached such an aggregate number that they are now forming working interest groups to consider policies and programs for the community. In addition, many out mayors have been the impetus behind the creation of LGBTQ commissions, coalitions, and advisory committees for the community in their towns and cities.
Many important legislative changes for the LGBTQ community occur first at the municipal level. These include anti-discrimination policies for health and housing, employment equity, equal job access, and more. Some of these legislative changes occur at the instigation of an out mayor.
Out mayors often face the ire of an intolerant public. There are several instances of violence against out politicians based on their sexual orientation.
Do you know who the world’s first transsexual mayor was and of what city? And which LGBTQ mayor of one of the world’s most famous cities survived an assassination attempt? These are important historical facts for the LGBTQ community to know about itself. Read on to find out.
Australia
- John William Fowler, South Sydney
- John Hyde, Vincent, Perth
- Ralph McLean, Fitzroy
- Bruce Notley-Smith, Randwick
- Janet Rice, Maribyrnong
- Helen Westwood, Bankstown
Bangladesh
- Nazrul Islam Ritu, Trilochanpur
Brazil
- Eduardo Leite, Pelotas City
- Edgar de Souza, Lens
Canada
- Cecil Clarke, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
- Eric Duncan, North Dundas, Ontario
- Julie Lemieux, Tres-Saint Redempteur, Quebec
- Real Menard, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Quebec
- Glen Murray, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Ted Nebbeling, Whistler, British Columbia
- Maurice Richard, Becancourt, Quebec
- Jim Watson, Ottawa, Ontario
- Charlotte Whitton, Ottawa, Ontario
Chile
- Claudio Arriagada, La Granja
Colombia
- Angelica Lozano Correa, Chapinero
- Claudia Lopez, Bogota
Denmark
- Soren Pape Poulsen, Viborg
France
- Luc Carvounas, Alfortville
- Marie Cau, Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes
- Bertrand Delanoe, Paris
- Olivier Dussopt, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Andre Labarrere, Pau
Germany
- Ole von Beust, Hamburg
- Klaus Wowereit, Berlin
Great Britain
- Carl Austin, Manchester
- Jenny Bailey, Cambridge
- Richard Barnes, London Deputy Mayor
- E. F. (Fred) Benson, Rye
- Brian Coleman, Barnet
- Robert Crossman, Islington
- Jeff Hook, Southwark
- Owen Hurcum, Bangor, Wales
- Gary Millar, Liverpool
- Andrew Muir, North Down, Northern Ireland
- Philip Normal, Lambeth, South London
- Andy Street, West Midlands
India
- Aha Devi Aryanayakam, Gorakhpur
- Asha Devi, Gorakhupr
- Kamla Jaan, Katni
- Madhu Kinnar, Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh Municipal Corporation
Ireland
- Fintan Warfield, South Dublin
Italy
- Rosario Crocetta, Gela, Sicily
- Gianmarco Negri, Trello
Luxembourg
Malta
- Karl Gouder, St. Julian's
Mexico
- Benjamin Medrano Quezada, Fresnillo
New Zealand
- Georgina Beyer, Carterton
- Tony Briffa, Hobsons Bay
Poland
- Robert Biedron, Slupsk
Spain
- Ada Colau Ballano, Barcelona
- Jeronimo Saavedra, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Santi Vila, Figueres
Switzerland
- Corine Mauch, Zurich
The Netherlands
- Ien Dales, Nijmegen
- Elizabeth Schmitz, Haarlem
United States
- Sam Adams, Portland, Oregon
- Toni Atkins, San Diego, California
- Jerry Birdwell, South Lake Tahoe, California
- Jackie Biskupski, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Peter Buttigieg, South Bend, Indiana
- Christopher Cabaldon, West Sacremento, California
- Jane Castor, Tampa, Florida
- David Cicilline, Providence, Rhode Island
- Christopher Clark, Mountain View, California
- Daniel Corona, West Wendover, Nevada
- John D'Amico, West Hollywood, California
- Jenny Durkan, Seattle, Washington
- Tim Eustace, Haywood, New Jersey
- Larry Forester, Signal Hill, California
- Robert Garcia, Long Beach, California
- Karen Geraghty, Portland, Maine
- Andrew Gillum, Tallahassee, Florida
- Neil Giuliano, Tempe, Arizona
- Todd Gloria, San Diego
- Jim Gray, Lexington, Kentucky
- Don Guardian, Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Reed Gusciora, Trenton, New Jersey
- Bruce Harris, Borough of Chatham, New Jersey
- Jess Herbst, New Hope, Texas
- Christy Holstege, Palm Springs
- Ken Keechl, Broward County Commission (Fort Lauderdale), Florida
- Lori Lightfoot, Chicago, Illinois
- Evan Low, Campbell, California
- Craig Lowe, Gainsville, Florida
- Bruno Lozano, Del Rio, Texas
- Robert Moon, Palm Springs, California
- Alex Morse, Holyoke, Massachusetts
- Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Burlington, Vermont
- Edward Murray, Seattle, Washington
- Bao Nguyen, Garden Grove, California
- Peter O'Donnell, Portland, Maine
- Guy Padgett, Casper, Wyoming
- Annise Parker, Houston, Texas
- Ty Penserga, Boyton Beach, Florida
- Stu Rasmussen, Silverton, Oregon
- Kenneth Reeves, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Satya Rhodes-Conway, Madison, Wisconsin
- Pedro Segarra, Hartford, Connecticut
- E. Denise Simmons, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Sean Strub, Milford, Pennsylvania
- Rich Waterman, Campbell, California
