Victory in the News

Colorado gay officials seeing more-tolerant attitudes

Colorado residents want their city councils and county commissioners to solve zoning woes and code-enforcement headaches and deliver reliable trash pickup.

What they don't seem to care about is whether the people offering the solutions are gay, lesbian or transgender.

The national Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund endorsed 75 candidates in the most recent election cycle, and 53 won seats on city councils and county commissions, said the group's spokesman, Denis Dison.

In Denver, the group endorsed lesbian Robin Kniech, who won a seat on the City Council in July.

Cincy's first openly gay councilman shows change

The election of Cincinnati's first openly gay councilman represents a shift for an Ohio city that for years had a charter amendment that was unfavorable to gays. 

Chris Seelbach's election last week is a milestone for the area's gays and lesbians. Seelbach had worked for the successful repeal in 2004 of an 11-year-old city charter amendment that banned local ordinances protecting gay people from discrimination. 

Having an openly gay person in public office helps other people feel that they can show who they really are and participate in government, said Denis Dison, a spokesman for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a Washington-based group that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political candidates.

"If some gay or lesbian kid in Cincinnati walks into school with their head a little higher after this, that's the important thing," Dison said.

Chris Seelbach's victory a milestone for gays in Cincinnati

The bar, Milton's Prospect Hill Tavern, was packed for the victory party for the man who'd become Cincinnati's first openly gay City Council member.

People cheered. And it seemed as if everyone on Election Night was offering to buy Chris Seelbach a drink. 

Electing the first openly gay council member, others say, means more than the fact that Cincinnati's long-held conservative reputation apparently is evolving.

It also changes the perspective at City Hall and shows other LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) individuals that it's OK to live an authentic life, to show who you really are and still be able to participate in government, said Denis Dison, vice president of communications for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a Washington nonprofit that promotes LGBT candidates. 

Houston Mayor Annise Parker Wins Reelection

Houston mayor Annise D. Parker has won reelection despite low approval ratings and antigay rhetoric leveled against her by a challenger. 

Next month Parker hosts the 27th International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference in Houston. “It’s a great opportunity for elected and appointed GLBT leaders from around country, and the world, to get together and share tips support each other,” she said.

More from the Victory Fund on gay election victories yesterday

Washington, D.C. – Openly gay and lesbian candidates endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund won election to municipal, judicial and state legislative offices from coast to coast Tuesday night. At least 53 of the group's 75 endorsees were victorious, with two races still undecided this morning. 

"The election of gay and lesbian candidates in places where they have never won before is a major step forward, and we could not be happier about these victories," said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund. "All of the openly LGBT candidates who stepped up to run for office this year are true leaders who deserve our profound thanks."