Rokas Žilinskas

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Rokas Žilinskas
Member of the Seimas
Incumbent
Assumed office
2008
Personal details
Born (1972-07-20) 20 July 1972
Vilnius, Soviet Union
(now Lithuania)
Political party Homeland Union
Other political
affiliations		 National Resurrection Party and Christian Party
Alma mater University of Vilnius

Rokas Žilinskas (born on July 20, 1972 in Vilnius, Lithuania) is a Lithuanian journalist and politician. He was elected to Seimas in 2008 and has been a member of Lithuanian Parliament since then.

Žilinskas was born in a swimming coach and kindergarten teacher's family. While at school Rokas became interested in geography, later politology and politics. Before being elected to the Lithuanian Parliament Žilinskas was a well-known Lithuanian news announcer.

In 2009, one year after the Parliament elections, Žilinskas openly declared that he is gay, hence becoming the first elected LGBT politician in Lithuania. He, however, expressed disapproval for the equal rights for gays, such as gay marriages and gay adoption,[1] but unexpectedly decided to participate in the first homosexual parade in Vilnius,[2] despite being against for a long time.[3]

Žilinskas tore his public image after he cursed the policemen while being drunk.[4] In 2011 after Žilinskas was noticed allegedly being drunk in Seimas, he was expelled from the Christian Party.[5]

In 2012 he became a member of a conservative Homeland Union[6] and was re-elected to Seimas.

In popular culture

  • Rokas Žilinskas was presented in a British documentary film Starsuckers where he was interviewed.
  • Žilinskas was a subject of parody by a Lithuanian humorist Justinas Jankevičius who parodied Žilinskas' TV-announcer-like way of speaking.

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Lithuanian openly gay parliamentarian disapproves of Baltic Pride
  4. ↑
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ Konservatoriai priėmė R.Žilinską, socdemai už homoseksualus kovoja žodžiais


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