LGBTQ candidates in Pa. and Del. hope to win seats in November
According to LGBTQ Victory Institute’s Out for America 2020 digital report, there are 843 openly LGBTQ elected officials in the U.S.
However, in order to achieve representation equal to the population, over 22-thousand more LGBTQ officials must be elected to public office nation-wide, Victory Institute President Annise Parker said in a statement.
“The hateful legislation targeting our community in city councils, state legislatures and at the federal level is a byproduct of this gap in representation,” Parker said. “But when LGBTQ elected officials are in the halls of power, they change the hearts and minds of their lawmaker colleagues, defeat anti-LGBTQ bills and inspire more inclusive legislation.”
In this fall’s upcoming general election, several LGBTQ candidates are running for office in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic candidate Daniel Smith hopes to unseat Republican state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe in the 12th District, which includes Cranberry Township in Butler County. In the Delaware Democratic primary, Eric Morrison is running for a seat in the state House of Representatives in the 27th District. Finally, Sarah McBride faces two challengers for a seat in Delaware’s First Senate District, which spans Wilmington and surrounding areas.
If elected, Morrison will be the first openly gay candidate to be elected to the Delaware Legislature, and McBride would be the first openly transgender state senator in the country.
https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/lgbtq-candidates-in-pa-and-del-hope-to-win-seats-in-november/?utm
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We have had the advances in recent years because of all the LGBTQ who came out to their family, friends, associates, co-workers. That took a lot of courage. They put a lot on the line and it didn't always turn out that well. But they took that leap.
Once people can put a face on the "other" that is in their frame of reference, in their lives, it becomes way more personal. It can turn the personal dynamics from a "them", to an "us". There is no then no "other", we are one.
Once we have a more representative body politic, we can continue the march forward.
But most of the time that march is made up of baby steps.
I have been out for over 40 years, and was lucky enough to work for educational institutions during that entire time. Those educational institutions ALWAYS voted democratic. Yes, I came out when we weren't that visible, but I was in a relatively safe environment. I felt trepidation, but never actually feared for my life. That was nothing compared to people having the courage to come in the middle of red, republican areas, where they were, literally, putting their lives on the line every day.
But they did it, and we are a much better country for it.
Once those baby steps were taken by so many courageous people, the people's opinions changed. Attitude changes are almost always led by the people, and the politicians have to play catch up.
That is where we are now, due to all those baby steps.
