The first major United States city to elect a gay mayor swore him in New Years Day at 12:01am. Supreme Court Justice Virginia Linder administered the oath of office to Sam Adams, who said afterwards, "May 2009 be a very prosperous year for all Portlanders."
Have a look at Portland’s new mayor last year as he addressed a crowd angry about the passage of Proposition Eight in Oregon’s neighbor to the south.
I have a feeling we’ll be hearing from Sam Adams quite a bit in the future.
{h/t Joe Sudbay at AmericaBlog}
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I like it when, in the video, Sam Adams refers to himself as the “first queer mayor” — it’s pretty cool to hear an out politician reclaim that word in the public square from our bullies who taunted us with it as we grew up.
Oh my stars! He’s a mayor now?!? Just make sure he gets his breakfast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eREiQhBDIk
Excellent! Thanks for this, Teddy!
I love that Oregon’s abbreviation is OR.
Mayor, queer, brewer, patriot. What’s not to like!
Dugg
many of us could use a Sam Adams about now :)
Good lord, people, we have to do something about this rampant outbreak of positive political gaiety. Next thing you know, they’ll be a gay President. Can you imagine?
I know, let’s pray…Whoops!
;>)
I wonder if the hate preachers will start preaching doom for Portland?
W00t!
omg…can’t.stop.laughing
No praying unless you’re on yer knees.
goddamn that’s funny!
Don’t mean to be arguementative, but Kathy Whitmire(?) was a three term mayor of Houston, openly gay. She didn’t flaunt it, but never denied it. One of the best mayors Houston ever elected. She could have been mayor for much longer if she had wanted to.
I wonder how Mrs Haggard is doing. I’ll never forget her smile while she sat shotgun in the Rev’s SUV as he lied to reporters camped outside his house, with the young’uns in the back seat.
I think the distinction here is that Sam Adams is the first GAY mayor of a major city, not LGBT.
late late nite up at the mothership
I assumed she had a buzz going.
What about David Cicilline? Cicilline was elected to Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island in a landslide in November 2002 with 84% of the vote. Providence should be considered a major U.S. city since it’s capital of a State, no?
Yeah, after the passing of the basket.
;>)
Still, all that matters at the end of the day is whether the person is a good civil servant or not. People looking for positive identity cues and the further dismantling of stereotypes is just a bonus.
We’d have two major cities with gay mayors…
if Gavin came out
Gavin?
Despite his metrosexual appearance, Gavin Newsom plays for the straight team, so much so that he got into trouble for an affair with his secretary, the wife of his good friend and campaign manager. Sorry. In SF it would help him politically to be gay in any case; it’s certainly helped him to be Mr. Gay Marriage. Newsom’s been to the right of the city he governs on most issues, the board of supervisors has been against him on most things (Newsom’s the ally of developers and business), but by being the champion of gay rights he’s kept credibility with progressives.
okay, if you say so….
I admire your calm demeanor and patient grace, Teddy.
Ok I think I get it. Adams is the first MALE homosexual mayor. Some things never change. How many females does it take to equal one male, eh?
Next thing you know males will be in charge of the wars and everything. Oh, wait, that could be a problem already.
How many gay mayora does it take to screw in a light bulb?
I suppose that depends on how many inalightbulb wants.