Mirror, Mirror - Who Are the Fairest, Sexiest World Leaders of Them All?

 

Four years ago (in 2013) when I wrote a post about the sexiest world leaders my inspiration was Mexico's then newly-elected president, Enrique Pena Nieto (now famous for resisting Donald Trump's bullying).  Although he remains on the list, the inspiration for this year's revue of eye-catching heads of state is Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau - perhaps you've heard of him?  But then a few months after this post was published, France's new president, Emmanuel Macron, showed up.  Needless to say, with Barack Obama's eight years over, the US is no longer represented - but he gets this honorary photo.  Moving on, we begin with 15 elected heads of state followed by eight leaders born to royalty.  (Ages listed are as of March 2017.)

 

JUSTIN TRUDEAU

Prime Minister of Canada (population: 35 million)

Age: 45

Commentary:  One more reason for loving Canada.  I wouldn't call him handsome, he's more cute, in a towering (6'2"), Canadian Mountie kind of way.  Sort of reminds me of actor Luke Wilson.

 

 

 

EMMANUEL MACRON

President of France (67 million)

Age: 39/Height: 5'7"

Commentary: Like Trudeau, he exudes boyish charm, plus he has a French accent.  And he gets even more points for winning the battle of the handshake with Trump.

 

 

 

ENRIQUE PENA NIETO

President of Mexico (122 million)

Age: 54/Height: 5'7"

Commentary:  A holdover from the previous post, he's the only leader on this list from the 27 nations with populations greater than 50 million.  At 5'6", he's one of the shorter presidents (comparable to Putin).  Not very popular, with lots of corruption baggage, but his standing has improved by standing up to the boorish behavior of Trump.

 

 

 

ALEXIS TSIPRAS

Prime Minister of Greece (population: 11 million)

Age: 42

Commentary:  If you played word association, the word most likely to be chosen upon hearing Tsipras's name would likely be "embattled", as he tries to find ways of keeping the Greek economy afloat.  He's done wonders for the image of Greek men, showing the world that not everyone looks like Aristotle Onassis.

 

 

 

EDI RAMA

Prime Minister of Albania (population: 2.8 million)

Age: 52

Commentary:  A former basketball star, at 6'7" he's the tallest of the world's heads of state.  Brings to mind action star Jason Statham.

 

 

 

ROSEN PLEVNELIEV

President of Bulgaria (population: 7 million)

Age: 52

Commentary:  Exudes boy-like cuteness rather than sex appeal.

 

 

 

BOYKO BRISOV

Prime Minister of Bulgaria (population: 7 million)

Age: 57

Commentary:  If Bulgaria's president (above) isn't your cup of tea, perhaps its prime minister is more your type.  A six-foot bruiser,  he's known for his fondness for soccer and karate. 

 

 

 

ANDREJ PLENKOVIC

Prime Minister of Croatia (population of 4.3 million)

Age: 46

Commentary:  Tall (6'3"), with a sexy, approachable intellectual look.  He was born in Zagreb, the same city as my maternal grandfather. 

 

 

 

 

BJARNI BENEDIKTSSON

Prime Minister of Iceland (population of 323,000)

Age: 47

Commentary: A bear of a man who may not age very well, but right now he's handsome in a civilized, Viking kind of way.  I especially like the second photo, which looks like it came from the pages of an Eddie Bauer or LL Bean catalog.

 

 

 

XAVIER BETTEL

Prime Minister of Luxembourg (population of 543,000)

Age: 44

Commentary: Openly gay, Bettel and his husband, Gauthier (married in 2015), get the award for Cutest Same-Sex Power Couple (UN Division).

 

 

 

MARK RUTTE

Prime Minister of the Netherlands (population of 17 million)

Age: 50

Commentary:  Dutch men, on average, are the tallest in the world and Mark Rutte lives up to that fact as he's a towering 6'5".  (Seeing a photo of him standing next to 5'7" Vladimir Putin, you may never think of Putin in the same menacing way.)  Still single, there have long been questions about his sexuality.

 

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PEDRO SANCHEZ

Prime Minister of Spain (population of 47 million)

Age: 46

Commentary: Another tall drink of water (6'3"), Sanchez recently assumed his position in May of 2018.  He named two openly gay politicians to his cabinet.

 

 

ANDRZEJ DUDA

President of Poland (population of 39.5 million)

Age: 44

Commentary: Cute, in an elfin way.

 

 

 

ANTONIO COSTA

Prime Minister of Portugal (population of 10.5 million)

Age: 55

Commentary:  I don't know his political style, i.e., he could be a prick or corrupt, but with such a warm, avuncular glow, I'd be very surprised/disappointed if he were less than a gentleman.

  

 

 

 

KLAUS IOHANNIS

President of Romania (population of 20 million)

Age: 57

Commentary:  Brings to mind what the star quarterback in high school now looks like 40 years later.

 

 

 

AND NOW, THE DISTINGUISHED ROYALS ...

 

KING PHILIPPE OF BELGIUM

Age: 56

Commentary: One word: Distinguished

 

 

 

 

JIGME KHESAR NAMGYEL WANGCHUCK, KING OF BHUTAN

Age: 37

Commentary:  Exotic sex appeal, with eyes that look into the soul.

 

 

 

 

 

HENRI, GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG

Age: 61

Commentary: Great title, the Grand Duke exudes refinement.

 

 

 

 

PRINCES GUILLAUME & SEBASTIANE - LUXEMBOURG

Ages: 35 (Guillaume) and 24 (Sebastiane)

Commentary:  Sons of the Grand Duke, the apples don't fall very far from the tree.

 

 

 

HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED AL MALOMIN - CROWN PRINCE OF DUBAI

Age: 34

Commentary:  Heaven must be missing an angel...

 

 

 

 

PRINCE CARL PHILIP OF SWEDEN

Age: 37

Commentary:  I never would have guessed that he was Swedish.

 

 

 

 

 

PRINCE HARRY - ENGLAND

Age: 32

Commentary:  His brother has always been the more serious, responsible one while Harry is the lovable and adorable one, but since turning 30 he seems to have come into his own.  Despite being 6"2", he's still the "little" brother, as Prince William is an inch taller.

 

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The 12 Nations With the Sexiest Men - One Man's Opinion

This post could easily have had a broader scope, e.g., a United Nations of sexy men, since every country has its head turners and cock-teasers - even places such as Iceland, Bolivia and Chad.  But the dozen countries listed below are those that were top-of-mind based on my preferences - and fantasies (one advantage of having your own blog!).  And the sex appeal of some is enhanced by exotic or masculine names - first names as well as surnames.  Please note that some of them may have been born in or are citizens of a country other than that of their heritage. 

 

 

Iran

 

Soccer star, Alireza Jhanbakhsh

 

Despite their fucked up worldview,  they sure are sexy devils (or, perhaps, "Great Satans" is more fitting).

 

Wrestler, Taleb Nematpour

 

 

Cuba

 

Danny Pino, actor in shows such as "The Shield", "Cold Case" and "Law & Order: SVU"

 

Danell Leyva, gymnast on the 2010 US Olympic team

 

Now a young adult, Elian Gonzalez was a controversial figure in 1999-2000 when, as a 5-year-old, he washed ashore in Florida and became the subject of a tug-of-war between his US relatives and his father in Cuba. He returned to Cuba with his father after being taken by force from his relatives' home.

 

France

 

Actor Jean Dujardin, nominated for an Oscar in 2012 for the movie "The Artist".

 

Fashion designer, Olivier Rousteing

 

The Guenot brothers, Steve and Christophe, both medalists at the 2008 Olympics in Men's Greco-Roman wrestling. Christophe is six years older than Steve.

 

 

Japan

 

Soccer superstar, Hideo Tanaka

 

Actor, Ken Watanabe

 

 

 

Australia

 

Hugh Jackman

 

Chris Hemsworth

 

Matthew Mitcham won a gold medal in diving for Australia at the 2008 Olympics.

 

India

 

Actor Sendil Ramanurthy

 

Cricket star, Dhoni

 

Cute Sikh fellow

 

Czech Republic

 

Roman Serble, world-class decathalon athlete, won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics and a gold at the 2004 Olympics.

 

Vaclav Noid-Barta, Eurovision singing star

 

Milan Baros, soccer star (somewhat resembles Ben Affleck)

 

 

Nigeria

 

Actor, David Oyelowo. Portrayed Martin Luther King in the movie "Selma".

 

Actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Academy Award Best Actor nominee for "12 Years a Slave"

 

Nigerian media celebrity, Ebuka

 

 

Saudi Arabia

 

One of millions of crown princes in Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud stands out because, at the age of 33, he is the youngest Minister of Defense of any nation.

 

Badr Alzadine, Indian media celebrity

 

This fellow, Omar Borkan Al Gala, supposedly was expelled from Saudi Arabia in 2013 for being too sexy, and thus distracting to the nation's women (but it's probably the Saudi men who's hearts were going pitter-patter).

 

Hungary

 

Arpad Miklos, former chemical engineer who became a gay porn superstar. Sadly, he committed suicide at the age of 45 in 2013.

 

Olympic swimmer, Daniel Gyurta

 

Attila Vajda, Olympic medalist in the sprint canoe category

 

Brazil

 

Caua Reymond, a popular actor on Brazilian TV

 

Generic, fun-loving Brazilian man, dripping with sex

 

David Miranda, husband of American journalist Glenn Greenwald.  Like most romances between 'gringos' and Brazilians, it began as a pick-up at Ipanema beach, where poor Brazilian boys line up in hopes of meeting a "meal ticket".

 

 

Puerto Rico

 

Ricky Martin

 

Actor, Adam Rodriguez, has appeared in TV series ("CSI: Miami"), movies ("Magic Mike") and music videos.

 

Generic Puerto Rican hottie

 

Honorable Mention:  Argentina, Spain and Morocco

 

If you want to take a trip to heaven, do a Google Images search of Argentine soccer star, Ezequiel Lavezzi. Every photo is stunning.

 

Spanish tennis great, Rafael Nadal

 

Nighttime in the Middle East: Wall-to-Wall, Horny Young Men

With women in many parts of the Arab World largely barred from venturing outside once the sun goes down (and they're not very welcome in the light of day either), the streets at night are teeming with men.  And, believe me, they aren't spending all of their time studying the Koran, talking politics or plotting ways to cause mayhem in the West.  With the vast majority of them young, unmarried and horny, thoughts of sex are likely never far from their mind.  Since women aren't around to satisfy their carnal desires, what recourse do they have?   

 

Considering how virulently homophobic Muslim society is, it's comical that their religious leaders (or local chapter of the Taliban) have created an environment, similar to prison, in which homosexual sex is one of the only viable options available for single men seeking "release."  Similar to "Don't ask, don't tell," furtive gay sex goes on behind closed doors (the Muslim "DL"), but come daylight and homosexuality is condemned.  And woe to anyone who's openly gay in the light of day - that is an abomination met with severe punishment, even death.  (Note to Western gays: Muslim men on their knees with their butts in the air during the daytime are praying.)

 

Assuming the "receptive" position, five times a day.

 

However, a similar dysfunctional dynamic holds sway here in the good ol' USA with the Religious Right.  The more vehemently some of them condemn homosexuality, chances are it's a smokescreen to hide their true nature and clandestine same-sex assignations.  (Larry Craig and Ted Haggard, left, are two shining examples).  Or, perhaps they're just angry that others are living the life they desire.  And, oh, do they love to talk about homosexual sex (hello, Rick Santorum!)  400 years after it was written by Shakespeare, the famous line from Hamlet still rings very true in both the Middle East and the West:  "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

   

 

New York City Hosts Gay Games IV (June 18-25, 1994)

 

 

For the most part the gayest event to occur in New York City was the Tony Awards.  But in 1994 NYC was chosen to host the fourth Gay Games.  (San Francisco played host to the first two Gay Games in 1982 and 1986; Vancouver hosted in 1990).  It was also a fitting way to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riot, which embroiled Greenwich Village in late June of 1969.  Opening ceremonies were held on June 18 at Columbia University Stadium; Yankee Stadium was the site of the closing ceremonies.  At first, Yankees management was unwilling to make the stadium available, but mayor Rudy Giuliani appealed to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's civic spirit.

 

 

 

More than 10,000 athletes from 44 countries participated in 31 events, including HIV+ athletes who were allowed entry into the US after the Clinton administration waived visa restrictions (but they were limited to a 10-day visit).  Sporting events included traditional ones such as weight lifting, swimming and track & field, as well as more off-beat competitions such as badminton, in-line skating and aerobics.  Billie Jean King and Greg Louganis spoke at the opening ceremonies and Sir Ian McKellen presided over the closing ceremonies.  Louganis also gave a diving exhibition.

 

 

 

At the same time as the Gay Games, the United States was playing host to soccer's World Cup for the first time; the first three matches were played in the New York area at Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey.  It was estimated that these two events plus Gay Pride festivities drew 1.2 million visitors.

 

 

Pet Shop Boys' Musical "Closer to Heaven" Opens in London (May 31, 2001)

The Pet Shop Boys extended their talents to the theater, and their efforts resulted in the musical Closer to Heaven, which premiered in London's East End on May 31, 2001.  The story brings to mind West Side Story, but with a gay storyline and a London setting.  A young, bisexual man leaves his girlfriend for a deeply troubled, straight acting drug dealer.  A great mix of songs are melded with a story that is sexy, sleazy, tender and heartbreaking.

 

I had been told about this show by my friend Tom and when the original cast CD was released in early 2002 we found it while we were on vacation in Australia.  Based on his raves, and the fact that I was a PSB fan, I bought it there with great anticipation and I was rewarded many times over.

 

There's one great song after another.  Highlights for me are My Night; It's My Little Tribute to Caligula, Darling!; Positive Role Model; Out of My System; For All of Us; and the title track.  The music is a typical mix of PSB tunes, i.e. some danceable, others heart-breakingly beautiful.  The songs Closer to Heaven and For All of Us still bring me to tears.  And Out of My System has a very En Vogue/Destiny's Child vibe. 

 

We waited for the show to come to Broadway, but it was not to be.  However, it did have a limited run in Dallas in 2010 (pictured, right).  It got mixed reviews, but in my imagination it was a smash, with great performances, wonderful sets and writhing/hot bodies.  Perhaps its mixed reviews were due to its gay storyline and/or critics' lack of appreciation for the Pet Shop Boys.

 

If you haven't already heard it, give yourself a treat and take a listen to the cast CD.

Paris Elects a Gay Mayor (March 18, 2001)

Back in 2001, in the space of just three months, two openly gay candidates were elected mayors of "world class" European cities.  First, 50-year-old Bertrand Delanoe (pictured, near right) was elected mayor of Paris on March 18.  This made Paris (with a population of 2.1 million) the largest city in the world with a gay mayor.  Then in June voters in Berlin (population 3.4 million) took that distinction away from Paris when it also elected a gay mayor, 47-year-old Klaus Wowereit .  (Coincidentally, the German city of Hamburg also elected a gay mayor that very same year.)  Delanoe remained mayor through the spring of 2014 when he was replaced by his deputy mayor, Anne Hidalgo, who became the first woman to hold the office in Paris.  

 

18 months after his election Delanoe was stabbed in the stomach as he walked through a street festival by a Muslim immigrant with homophobic views.  After surgery he remained in the hospital nearly two weeks.  (This happened a week before I arrived in Paris for my first visit.)

 

And then in 2009 Houston became the first U.S. city with 1 million+ residents to elect a gay mayor, lesbian Anisse Parker.  Before that, the largest U.S. cities with gay mayors had been Portland, Oregon and Providence, Rhode Island.

 

 

 

World AIDS Day Observed for 1st Time (December 1, 1988)

Ways to memorialize AIDS victims and raise awareness among the general public began in 1985 with the first AIDS Walk in Los Angeles followed by New York City's in 1986.  In 1987 the National AIDS Memorial Quilt was unveiled in D.C.  And on December 1, 1988 the effort continued with the first observance of Worlds AIDS Day.  It is now held every Dec. 1, with proclamations issued by the president as well as the pope.  Additionally, candlelight vigils and the reading of names are held worldwide while in New York the lights of Broadway and other city landmarks are turned off in observance. 

 

In 1991 Entertainment Weekly observed World AIDS Day by publishing "Faces of AIDS", mini-obits of people in the entertainment industry who had died in the previous 12 months.  67 names were listed - their average age was only 44.  Seeing all of the year's deaths amassed together was sobering and impactful.  Three years later the number had doubled.  EW published this as an annual feature through 1997 - when the number of persons listed fell significantly - to 24 (due to protease inhibitors and changed sexual habits). 

 

A few weeks after the 1st World AIDS Day was observed ABC World News Tonight anchor Max Robinson and disco icon Sylvester would be the next personalities to succumb to the disease.  And the following year famed choreographer Alvin Ailey's death from AIDS coincided with the second World AIDS Day.  

 

 

 

The Vatican Bans Gay Seminarians (November 29, 2005)

To quell outrage over the cover-up of child abuse in the US by Roman Catholic priests, the Vatican scapegoated gay men by banning their admission to seminaries.  However, the ban that was announced on Nov. 29, 2005 was akin to rescinding an invitation to a club that lost its popularity long ago.  Even before this edict was issued only half as many men were entering seminaries as they were in 1965 (while the number of Roman Catholics increased by 41%.)  After peaking in 1975 the number of ordained priests had fallen by more than 30%.  Today the typical priest is older than 60, with those over the age of 90 outnumbering clergy younger than 30.  

 

To address this decline the Vatican thought it wise to bar a contingent of young men who historically comprised a significant portion of priests - while continuing to refuse ordination of women or married men.  And despite findings to the contrary, the Church has knowingly deceived its faithful by conflating homosexuality with pedophilia.

 

The Roman Catholic Church has been greatly impacted by gay liberation.  Previously, as long as homosexuals were pariahs they provided a steady supply of seminarians as they looked to the priesthood as a refuge.  (Shortly after I came out to my dad he told me I would have made a great priest.  That's when I realized that for those of his generation gay men were viewed as being useful if they became priests.)  But as gay men began to live more openly the priesthood was no longer the only viable career option to consider.  To help fill this void more and more priests are being brought from Africa, home to virulently homophobic forms of Christianity.

 

 

 

 

The 1995 movie Priest looked at the various conflicts encountered by a young, questioning priest (with a penchant for sneaking out to a nearby leather bar).  Although set in Ireland the issues are similar to those encountered in the US.  

Michelangelo's "David" is Unveiled in Florence (September 8, 1504)

Michelangelo was in his mid-20s when he worked on the statue David, which took him two years to complete.  The piece of marble he worked with had been left sitting outside, exposed to the elements for some 25 years after it had been hauled from a quarry 60 miles away.  The original commission for the creation of the statue was handed out before Michelangelo was born, but the first sculptor died and the second moved to another village.  This glorious piece of sculpting was unveiled to the Florentine public on Sept. 8, 1504 (Michelangelo was 33 at the time).  Five hundred years later adoring tourists still clamor to gaze upon and pose before it.

 

 

 

I had the good fortune of seeing David in person during a trip to Italy in the spring of 1993 (that's me, below, in the glasses).  This was two years after it had been vandalized.  At seventeen feet tall he was much larger than I expected.  This made him easy to spot, looming in the distance when we entered Florence's Galleria dell'Accademia.  Visitors could get surprisingly close to him, and the smoothness of the marble tempted me to reach out and run my hands over his tight, perfectly formed buttocks.  What a magnificent sight to behold!

 

 

 

Speaking of beautiful butts, fast forward 500 years and we had Mario Lopez's sexy buns to ogle during a tantalizing shower scene from a 2006 episode of the TV show Nip/Tuck.  (It starts at about the one-minute mark.) 

 

 

 

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Tears Over the Death of Princess Diana (August 31, 1997)

 

Princess Diana's life was cut tragically short when she was killed in an auto accident in Paris late Saturday night on Aug. 31, 1997.  She was only 36 years old.  And although we're not British subjects, her death cast a pall over Labor Day weekend here in the U.S.  Indeed, grief over Diana's death reverberated throughout the world.

 

 

 

Diana was especially beloved by the gay community because of her AIDS charity work.  Ten years before her death she visited a newly opened shelter for gay men with AIDS and shook their hands - the first high profile celebrity not afraid to touch AIDS victims.  She further endeared herself to gay men because of her sense of style and the ability to rise above the adversity she encountered while married to Prince Charles.

 

 

 

The Pet Shop Boys wrote a beautiful dirgelike song (with a beat) called Dreaming of the Queen.  It tells of a dream in which Queen Elizabeth and Diana discuss, over a spot of tea, the futility of love.  It was from PSB's album Very which was released four years before Diana's death.  In 2000 I saw the Pet Shop Boys in concert at Radio City Music Hall where I saw them perform this song.  Behind them on stage was a video showing the hearse bearing Diana's coffin, its windshield wipers famously working overtime to clear flowers thrown by the millions along the funeral route.   

 

 

 

 

 

(I was spending Labor Day weekend out in Fire Island when I heard the news about Diana's death.  I've written a blog post about what I remember of that night on my history blog "History As You Experienced It".)