Gay political power grows in the South

[FreeState]

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2009/12/18/gay-political-power-grows-in-the-south/

In light of the election of Annise Parker as mayor of Houston, the Southern Political Report analyzes the growth in the number of openly LGBT officeholders in the South, concluding, “Parker…is only part of the story of what has been happening, almost unnoticed, across the South as well as the nation in the past decade or so as hundreds of politically active gay men and lesbians have entered politics and started winning elections in places that weren’t suppose to be hospitable to their candidacies.”

Citing Victory Fund statistics, SPR lists candidates that have been elected in some surprising places in recent years:

Openly gay politicians have won seats in the legislatures in Alabama (state Rep. Patricia Todd), Arkansas (state Rep. Kathy Webb), Georgia (state Rep. Karla Drenner), North Carolina (state Sen. Julia Boseman), Oklahoma (state Rep. Al McAffrey), and Virginia (state Rep. Adam Ebbin). Several prominent gay lawmakers have retired from Southern legislatures, including former state Rep. Glen Maxey in Texas, and former state Sen. Ernesto Scorsone in Kentucky. All are Democrats and represent urban areas, where gay voters often make up a significant portion of the electorate.

…

(T)he increasing presence of gay officeholders as part of the South’s political fabric has already had an impact. The South’s wide network of gay political activists was part of the coalitions that helped Barack Obama and other Democrats win office last year. Lobbying by gay groups, aided by the presence of a gay lawmaker, have resulted in some pro-gay laws, including hate crime laws that cover gay people as well as other minorities, and bans on anti-gay hiring discrimination by city and county governments. At least one study has shown that having even one openly gay member of a governing body provides a more hospitable reception for pro-gay proposals.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

1. It will grow even more once the old homophobes die.

the younger generation is less homophobic

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Finally, some good news somewhere about something. :^)

[ZombieHorde]

3. Awesome and funny headline. nt

[onehandle]

4. LOL! Sure, in gay-friendly urban areas like mine. But in the other 99.5% of Georgia?

Nope.