A social media post aimed at celebrating the normalization of LGBTQ+ relationships has sparked controversy online, after Indian screenwriter and director Apoorva Asrani faced backlash for sharing a clip of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten with his partner Nicholas Keenan. Asrani, a Bollywood film editor and director, took to X to post a video of the couple sharing a brief embrace in front of the cameras. He framed this moment as a sign of societal progress, noting how public images of same-sex couples in positions of power had previously seemed “distant” but were now part of everyday public discourse.“This is Rob Jetten, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, with his local partner Nicolas Keenan, the Argentine hockey player.
There was a time when images like these in public discourse seemed distant, almost intolerable. He wrote in a post that quickly sparked controversy among social media users.
This post quickly sparked mixed reactions. While many users welcomed the message of inclusion and visibility, others criticized the show of affection and Asrani’s decision to share it. One user wrote: “I think it is inappropriate for the head of state to quarrel with his partner on social media, regardless of his orientation.”
Another added: “No, they don’t. That’s not appropriate for a politician. This is the kind of stuff a fifteen-year-old would post.” In response to the backlash to the post, Asrani made another post, in which he called User “Some people are angry about the clip I posted of Rob Jetten, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and his partner.
No kiss, just closeness. They described him as unfit for a head of state. However, when upright leaders show intimacy in public, it is called warmth. It’s not a matter of fitness. “It’s homophobia,” he wrote.
While Asrani made the first post with the aim of celebrating how far society has come and appreciating the change in people’s mentality towards gay couples, he actually revealed the extent to which homophobia is hidden in the depths and crevices of society, where a gay couple engaging in a small intimate relationship like a hug is enough to spark outrage in the name of ‘appropriate behaviour’ from a political leader.
Jetten, 38, made history as the Netherlands’ youngest prime minister as well as the first openly gay head of government. Now, Giten’s partner, Nico Keenan, has unofficially assumed a symbolic position as the country’s “number one in waiting”. The two reportedly connected in The Hague in 2022, and Jeten texted the athlete after repeatedly seeing him in supermarkets and cafes around the city.
They announced their engagement in November 2024 and plan to marry this year, according to some Dutch media reports.
Apoorva Asrani Expresses ‘Shock’ and ‘Distress’ After Delhi Hospital Uses His Photo of Bell’s Palsy Without Permission
