Homosexual acts are still illegal in many countries. Does this mean a gay president could jeopardize U.S. foreign relations?

Question: America may be ready for a gay president, but is the rest of the
world?

Fred Karger: I hope to start traveling the globe; I'm talking to some organizations that locate individuals like me on foreign-policy trips. I want to put a face on the gay community. I think that we've certainly gotten a bad rap, you know, the fact that I am openly gay now, should not make a difference to any foreign leader. Yes, there are laws in the books in many countries—the death penalty in about 19 countries—for being gay.

So I hope to be able to have a voice in world politics as well. To negotiate, to talk to people, and to let them know that we are not demons, we're just like everyone else. We just want to get married and have families and live in the suburbs or the cities and be just like everyone else. And I think that's important. You know, certainly other countries in the world are far more advanced. You know, there are big-city mayors that are openly gay, like in Berlin. We've got countries where marriage is allowed. Catholic countries like Argentina and Spain. Rhe world has evolved and where little behind the times here in the United States. And I think that we're moving in a very good direction, but we have a lot to do.

So I’ve got no qualms about meeting with foreign leaders who may be a little hesitant about, you know, gay civil rights and gay people, and talk to them.

Recorded December 22, 2010
Interviewed by Andrew Dermont
Directed by John Keitel
Produced by Elizabeth Rodd