SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert makes no secret of his homosexuality. Now he also reveals that he is in a relationship. He also explains that he deals openly with the topic by saying that young people need role models.
SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert has publicly commented on his relationship status. "I have a partner," the Berliner told the magazine "Bunte".
However, this aspect of his private life does not play a role in public appearances, according to the 33-year-old: "On the clichéd occasions such as the Bayreuth Festival or the Federal Press Ball, where others present their partners, we don't walk the red carpet anyway. Just because it's festive Clothing is expected. We're out of there."
By talking about his relationship, he also wants to set an example for young people, says Kühnert. "I know that in some villages in particular, even in 2022, some will still be thrown out of their homes if they reveal their sexual orientation," he explains. "These young people need role models and they need to know that it's perfectly okay to love a man or woman of the same sex."
Years ago, Kühnert said in an interview with the "Berliner Zeitung": "Anyone who is in the public eye must be prepared to be asked again and again for a girlfriend." So he would have "had the opportunity to look embarrassed at the floor every time. Or just to speak openly and naturally about the fact that I'm gay," says Kühnert.
In the "Bunte" conversation, Kühnert also reveals a passion that particularly drives him. "It may sound cheesy," he explains, "but for me, hiking means freedom." He enjoys going on long hikes, covering 12 miles a day for over a week or two. "That's the maximum contrast that I can get as a city person," explains the SPD politician, who took over the office of Secretary General of his party at the end of 2021.
