Who is Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir?
Who is it? Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic politician who served as Prime Minister of Iceland from 2009 to 2013, becoming the world’s first openly LGBT head of government. She was born in Reykjavík in 1942 where she also studied at the Commercial College of Iceland and worked at Icelandic Airlines, becoming active in the trade union movement. Jóhanna was first elected as an MP in 1978, and subsequently served as Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security, and Deputy Speaker of the Althing. Following 14 weeks of protests over the government’s handling of the financial crisis, Jóhanna was asked to form a new government and was appointed as Prime Minister. During her time as PM, she worked to implement a new constitution and legalise same-sex marriage. Jóhanna is married to author and playwright Jónína Leósdóttir and has retired from parliamentary politics in 2013.
What made Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir famous?
What made this personality famous? Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic politician who served as the prime minister of Iceland from 2009 to 2013. Jóhanna is known for inspiring the Kitchenware Revolution which eventually led to her becoming the first female Prime Minister of Iceland and the world’s first openly LGBT head of government. She left a lasting impression on the Icelandic people when she raised her fist and declared “Minn tími mun koma!”, (“My time will come!”) after losing a bid to become the leader of the Social Democratic Party. Her time did indeed come and Forbes even listed her among the 100 most powerful women in the world. Jóhanna and her left-wing coalition passed a constitutional act that allowed citizens to unify and become a part of the process of norrowing the gender pay gap. Furthermore, they passed a bill to ban strip clubs, paying for nudity in restaurants, and introduced same-sex marriage in 2010. Her leadership and resilience during her tenure made her a role model for women and the LGBT community all over the world.
Is Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir gay?
Is this personality gay? Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir was not only the first female Prime Minister of Iceland, but also the first openly LGBT head of government in the world. Appointed as Prime Minister in 2009, she enjoyed widespread voter popularity and enjoyed the solidarity of the Left-Green Movement in her government. While in power, Jóhanna enacted a ban on strip clubs and legalised same-sex marriage in Iceland. In her personal life, she married Þorvaldur Steinar Jóhannesson in 1970 and had two sons before divorcing in 1987. Later, she entered a civil union with author and playwright Jónína Leósdóttir which was converted into a marriage after same-sex marriage was legalised in 2010. Her impact on the country’s culture was such that a phrase she used in a 1994 leadership bid, “Minn tími mun koma!” (“My time will come!”), is now a popular Icelandic expression. Ultimately, Jóhanna’s contributions to Iceland and phrase are symbolic of the belief that everyone – LGBT included – can reach their goals if they stay determined and don’t give up.
