On 1 February 2009, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir became the world’s first openly-gay leader after she was appointed interim Prime Minister of Iceland, a few days following the resignation of the previous Prime Minister and his coalition government. She will hold her position until May 2009, when general elections will be held.

Sigurðardóttir is 66 years old and a member of the Social Democrat Alliance. She is considered as one of the most loved political figures in Iceland, a calmly progressive nation of only 300,000 inhabitants.

A few online portals have questioned the prominence Sigurðardóttir’s sexual orientation has been given in the media, asking why it is relevant for everyone to know that she is gay. Indeed, it should not matter whether a person is gay or straight, blond or dark-haired, or left-handed or right-handed. On the same lines, it should not matter that Barack Obama is black, but his skin colour takes on new meaning when one remembers the discrimination perpetrated against persons of colour in the United States and elsewhere. The election of a black President signifies a huge achievement in the struggle for racial equality.

However millions of gay people in many countries around the world still find themselves fighting for equality, often continuing to be ignored and oppressed. In many others, gay people are persecuted, demonized, imprisoned, tortured and killed because of their sexual orientation.

Having a nation overlook sexual orientation and judge politicians based on their governing qualities is great news.