Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown is set to bee the first openly bisexual ernor US history. As gay rights expand, bisexual and transgenr people are beg a greater part of the nversatn about human sexualy.
Contents:
- GAY MUNY ON NEXT OREGON GOV. KATE BROWN: Y, SHE UNTS
- BISEXUALY’S WATERSHED POLIL MOMENTFIRST BISEXUAL GOVERNORPOLLS SHOW THAT BISEXUALY IS THE LEAST ACCEPTED OF ALL SEXUALI. NEW OREGON GOVERNOR KATE BROWN, WHO IS OPENLY BISEXUAL AND MARRIED TO A MAN, ULD HELP CHANGE PERCEPTNS.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 12:06PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 14, 2015 7:45AM EST MICHAEL LLOYD/THE OREGONIAN/LANDOVON FEBARY 18, FORMER OREGON SECRETARY OF STATE KATE BROWN (D) WILL BEE THE FIRST PUBLICLY BISEXUAL ERNOR THE UNED STAT. BROWN’S SWEARG ON THE HEELS OF DEMOCRAT JOHN KZHABER’S RIGNATN OF THE ERNORSHIP FRIDAY FOLLOWG ALLEGATNS OF RPTN AND FLUENCE-PEDDLG LOBBIED AGAST BOTH HIM AND HIS FIANCéE CYLVIA HAY. BUT WHAT’S BAD NEWS FOR KZHABER IS GREAT NEWS FOR THE FUTURE OF LGBT POLIL REPRENTATN THE UNED STAT.AND ’S EVEN BETTER NEWS FOR BISEXUAL AMERINS WHO ARE SORELY LACKG PUBLIC VISIBILY AT A CCIAL MOMENT LGBT HISTORY.BROWN’S UNPLANNED ASCENSN TO THE ERNORSHIP IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD FOR LGBT POLICIANS, PECIALLY ON A STATE LEVEL. THE HOE OF REPRENTATIV HAS HAD OPENLY LGBT REPRENTATN SCE BARNEY FRANK ME OUT 1987 AND TOOK UNTIL 2012 FOR WISNS DEMOCRAT TAMMY BALDW TO BEE THE FIRST PUBLICLY LGBT U.S. SENATOR.BUT THE ONLY ERNOR TO HAVE EVER E OUT AS LGBT IS FORMER NEW JERSEY DEMOCRAT JIM MCGREEVEY, WHOSE G OUT SPEECH WAS EXTENSIVE WH HIS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE WOULD RIGN THE ERNORSHIP THE FACE OF A SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSU. IF ANYTHG, WILL BE CHALLENGG FOR BROWN TO FARE WORSE THAN MCGREEVEY HER NEW SPOTLIGHT AS AN LGBT ERNOR. BUT KATE BROWN IS MORE THAN JT A TICK THROUGH A POLIL CHECKBOX—THE NSEQUENC OF HER NEW POSN GO FAR BEYOND OREGON.THE OCSN OF THE FIRST OPENLY BISEXUAL ERNOR OF THE UNED STAT IS A CULTURAL WATERSHED FOR BISEXUAL PEOPLE THE UNED STAT, WHO HAVE HISTORILLY BEEN BETTER REPRENTED BY CELEBRI LIKE BOWIE THAN BY POLICIANS LIKE BROWN.WH SAME-SEX MARRIAGE THE UNED STAT—WHICH HAS TRADNALLY BEEN REPRENTED AS AN EXCLIVELY GAY OR LBIAN ISSUE—SEEMG ALL BUT EVABLE 2015 AND PUBLIC ATTENTN QUICKLY TURNG TO WHAT TIME HAS LLED “THE TRANSGENR TIPPG POT,” THE “B” THE LGBT IS AT RISK OF BEG LOST THE SHUFFLE. BROWN’S ASSUMPTN OF STATE LEARSHIP 2015 IS A PARTICULARLY FORTUO OPPORTUNY TO KEEP BISEXUAL PEOPLE THE NVERSATN SURROUNDG LGBT EQUALY, AS THE UNTRY’S FOC SHIFTS TO THE LAST TWO LETTERS OF THAT UBIQUO ACRONYM.BROWN’S ERNORSHIP AT A SURPRISG MOMENT WHEN BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE RELUCTANT TO BE OUT THAN THEIR GAY AND LBIAN UNTERPARTS. ACRDG TO THE 2009 NATNAL SURVEY OF SEXUAL HEALTH AND BEHAVR, OVER HALF OF ALL LGB PEOPLE THE UNED STAT INTIFY AS BISEXUAL. DPE THIS CLEAR MAJORY WH THE LGBT MUNY, BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE MUCH LS VISIBLE.ALMOST HALF OF BISEXUAL EMPLOYE ARE PLETELY THE CLOSET AT WORK, AS PARED TO ONLY A QUARTER OF GAY AND LBIAN EMPLOYE. AND ACRDG TO A 2013 PEW SURVEY ONLY 28 PERCENT OF BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE OUT TO“ALL OR MOST OF THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE THEIR LIFE” AS PARED TO THE MAJORY OF GAY MEN AND LBIANS WHO ARE OUT.THIS UNRREPRENTATN OF BISEXUAL PEOPLE PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL SPHER IS EVEN MORE VISIBLE THE WORLD OF U.S. POLICS. IN 2012, THE ADVOTE ULD ONLY UNT FIVE OPENLY BISEXUAL STATE OFFICIALS CLUDG BROWN OUT OF THE THEN-90 OR SO LGBT STATE-LEVEL LEGISLATORS. THAT’S A LOT LS THAN HALF.SCE THAT TIME, FORMER ARIZONA STATE SENATOR KYRSTEN SEMA HAS BEE THE FIRST OUT BISEXUAL NGRSWOMAN BUT THAT’S THE HIGHT AN OPENLY BISEXUAL PERSON HAS CLIMBED UNTIL NOW, MAKG BROWN THE HIGHT-RANKG OPENLY BISEXUAL PUBLIC OFFICIAL U.S. HISTORY.GIVEN THE REPORTED PREVALENCE OF BISEXUALY RELATIVE TO HOMOSEXUALY, THERE ARE ALMOST CERTALY BISEXUAL POLICIANS WHO ARE STILL THE CLOSET. IN THE POLIL REALM, HOWEVER, WHERE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS NOT JT A MATTER OF DISCRIMATN BUT A FACTOR ONE’S VERY ELECTABILY, ’S NOT SURPRISG THAT VERY FEW OF THEM HAVE CHOSEN TO E OUT.BUT WHY ARE BISEXUAL PEOPLE, PARTICULAR, LAGGG SO FAR BEHD TERMS OF THEIR WILLGNS TO E OUT?BROWN’S OWN STORY NTAS ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER: MANY BISEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN FEAR SOCIAL EXCLN OM BOTH STRAIGHT PEOPLE AS WELL AS LBIANS AND GAY MEN.IN AN SAY FOR A LLECTN ABOUT OUT ELECTED OFFICIALS, BROWN RELLS RECEIVG PHBACK OM ALL SIS WHEN HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN BEME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. HER STRAIGHT IENDS PERHAPS PREDICTABLY PERPETUATED THE STEREOTYPE THAT BISEXUAL PEOPLE JT N’T PICK A SI—BUT MORE ALARMG IS THAT HER IENDS THE LBIAN AND GAY MUNY “LLED [HER] HALF-QUEER.”EVEN HER PARENTS TOLD HER: “IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER FOR IF YOU WERE A LBIAN.”“SOME DAYS I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A FOOT BOTH WORLDS, YET NEVER REALLY BELONGG TO EHER,” BROWN WROTE AT THE TIME.FEELG EXCLUD OM BOTH SIS OF THE SEXUAL AISLE IS A MON EXPERIENCE FOR BISEXUAL AMERINS. IN FACT, ACRDG TO THE ABOVE-REFERENCED 2013 PEW SURVEY, LGBT AMERINS PERCEIVE BISEXUALY TO BE THE LEAST ACCEPTED SEXUAL ORIENTATN, ALTHOUGH BISEXUAL WOMEN TEND TO FARE FAR BETTER THAN BISEXUAL MEN.BISEXUALY IS CERTALY THE LEAST UNRSTOOD SEXUAL ORIENTATN A CULTURE ACCTOMED TO ONLY SEEG SEXUALY THROUGH A BARY LENS, AND REMAS SURROUND BY PARTICULARLY PERNIC CULTURAL MYTHS—ON PERPETUATED BY BOTH GAY AND STRAIGHT PEOPLE.THE MYTHS HAVE LONG AFFECTED BROWN’S REER.WHEN BROWN WAS FIRST OUTED, FOR EXAMPLE, BILL MARKHAM, AN OLR LLEAGUE THE OREGON HOE REPORTEDLY JOKED: “GUS THAT MEANS I STILL HAVE A CHANCE?” WHILE WOULD BE EASY TO DISMISS MARKHAM’S ALLEGED MENT AS A FAIAR FORM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, IS ALSO NOTICEABLY TGED BY THE STEREOTYPE THAT BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE MORE PROMISCUO AND HENCE MORE APPROACHABLE.THE OREGONIAN ALSO REPORTS THAT, 2008, A PORTLAND LGBT MAGAZE ADVISED BROWN TO “BUTCH UP” IF SHE WANTED TO BE TAKEN SERLY AS AN LGBT PUBLIC OFFICIAL. FOR THE MANY BISEXUAL WOMEN WHO FEEL VISIBLE LGBT CIRCL BEE THEY PRENT “FEMME” AND ARE THEREFORE READ AS STRAIGHT, THIS JUNCTN TO “BUTCH UP” IS A FAIAR ONE, OFTEN EXPERIENCED AS A SUBTLE CULTURAL PRSURE EVEN WHEN REMAS UNSPOKEN.AND TODAY, THE FACT THAT BROWN IS CURRENTLY MARRIED TO A MAN, DAN LTLE, IS REPORTEDLY BEG RAISED TO QUTN HER ALLEGIANCE TO THE LGBT MUNY. BISEXUAL PEOPLE WH OPPOSE-SEX PARTNERS—AND PERHAPS PARTICULARLY BISEXUAL WOMEN WH MALE PARTNERS LIKE BROWN—OFTEN FEEL EXCLUD OM LBIAN AND GAY MUNI, EHER BEE THEY ARE DISMISSED AS “STRAIGHT” OR BEE THEY ARE PERCEIVED TO HAVE TOO MUCH PRIVILEGE TO BE MEANGFULLY VTED THE E.BROWN MAY HAVE A LONG TRACK RERD OF SUPPORTG PRO-LGBT LEGISLATN OREGON, BUT SHE WILL LIKELY HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD AS A LBIAN POLICIAN TO BE READ AS AN ADVOTE, SIMPLY BEE HER SPOE IS A MAN.BUT BY BEG THE FIRST BISEXUAL ERNOR, BROWN NOW HAS MORE POWER THAN EVER TO BE FLUENTIAL HELPG TO END THE SAME FORMS OF PREJUDICE. IN ADDN TO REPORTG THAT BISEXUALY SEEMS TO BE THE LEAST ACCEPTED ORIENTATN, LGBT AMERINS ALSO TOLD PEW THAT “WELL-KNOWN PUBLIC FIGUR WHO ARE OPEN ABOUT BEG LGBT” IS THE SEND MOST HELPFUL FACTOR “MAKG SOCIETY MORE ACCEPTG OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LGBT.” THAT’S SEND ONLY BEHD PEOPLE GETTG TO KNOW LGBT PEOPLE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.SO FAR, THE U.S. HAS SEEN S FAIR SHARE OF BISEXUAL CELEBRI—GORE VIDAL, PETE TOWNSHEND, ANGELA JOLIE, MEGAN FOX, AND MARGARET CHO HAVE ALL BORNE THE LABEL—BUT BISEXUAL PUBLIC FIGUR OTHER SPHER ARE FEWER AND FURTHER BETWEEN. THE ONLY LGBT POLICIANS THAT PEW RPONNTS ULD POT TO AS DITORS OF PROGRS WERE EHER GAY OR LBIAN.THERE’S A DIRE NEED FOR MORE BISEXUAL PUBLIC FIGUR AND BROWN, HOWEVER UNWTGLY AND LERALLY OVERNIGHT, HAS BEE THE RIGHT WOMAN FOR THE JOB.KATE BROWN HAS JT BEE THE MOST WELL-KNOWN BISEXUAL POLICIAN THE UNED STAT. WHAT SHE WILL DO WH THIS NEWFOUND STAT REMAS TO BE SEEN BUT HER ERNORSHIP ULD NOT HAVE E AT A BETTER MOMENT FOR THE MANY BISEXUAL AMERINS WHO LOOK AT THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND SEE NO ONE LIKE THEM. SAMANTHA ALLEN
GAY MUNY ON NEXT OREGON GOV. KATE BROWN: Y, SHE UNTS
Jim McGreevey me out as gay 2004 and rigned months later. She's also the only current openly LGBT ernor of a US state, and the send openly LGBT ernor US history (after New Jersey's Jim McGreevey, who announced he was gay shortly before rigng).
In an say for Out and Elected the USA, Brown wrote that, after she me out, some of her "gay iends" lled her "half-queer, " and an elrly nservative legislator said to her, "Read the Oregonian a few months ago you were bisexual. Jim McGreevey of New Jersey, who announced he was "a gay Amerin" 2004 on the same day he announced he would soon rign, is the only ernor to e out while office. She said she found pecially hard to expla that she wasn't simply a lbian, enunterg skepticism om her fay, gay iends, and straight iends alike: "Some days I feel like I have a foot both worlds, yet never really belongg to eher.
BISEXUALY’S WATERSHED POLIL MOMENTFIRST BISEXUAL GOVERNORPOLLS SHOW THAT BISEXUALY IS THE LEAST ACCEPTED OF ALL SEXUALI. NEW OREGON GOVERNOR KATE BROWN, WHO IS OPENLY BISEXUAL AND MARRIED TO A MAN, ULD HELP CHANGE PERCEPTNS.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 12:06PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 14, 2015 7:45AM EST MICHAEL LLOYD/THE OREGONIAN/LANDOVON FEBARY 18, FORMER OREGON SECRETARY OF STATE KATE BROWN (D) WILL BEE THE FIRST PUBLICLY BISEXUAL ERNOR THE UNED STAT. BROWN’S SWEARG ON THE HEELS OF DEMOCRAT JOHN KZHABER’S RIGNATN OF THE ERNORSHIP FRIDAY FOLLOWG ALLEGATNS OF RPTN AND FLUENCE-PEDDLG LOBBIED AGAST BOTH HIM AND HIS FIANCéE CYLVIA HAY. BUT WHAT’S BAD NEWS FOR KZHABER IS GREAT NEWS FOR THE FUTURE OF LGBT POLIL REPRENTATN THE UNED STAT.AND ’S EVEN BETTER NEWS FOR BISEXUAL AMERINS WHO ARE SORELY LACKG PUBLIC VISIBILY AT A CCIAL MOMENT LGBT HISTORY.BROWN’S UNPLANNED ASCENSN TO THE ERNORSHIP IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD FOR LGBT POLICIANS, PECIALLY ON A STATE LEVEL. THE HOE OF REPRENTATIV HAS HAD OPENLY LGBT REPRENTATN SCE BARNEY FRANK ME OUT 1987 AND TOOK UNTIL 2012 FOR WISNS DEMOCRAT TAMMY BALDW TO BEE THE FIRST PUBLICLY LGBT U.S. SENATOR.BUT THE ONLY ERNOR TO HAVE EVER E OUT AS LGBT IS FORMER NEW JERSEY DEMOCRAT JIM MCGREEVEY, WHOSE G OUT SPEECH WAS EXTENSIVE WH HIS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE WOULD RIGN THE ERNORSHIP THE FACE OF A SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSU. IF ANYTHG, WILL BE CHALLENGG FOR BROWN TO FARE WORSE THAN MCGREEVEY HER NEW SPOTLIGHT AS AN LGBT ERNOR. BUT KATE BROWN IS MORE THAN JT A TICK THROUGH A POLIL CHECKBOX—THE NSEQUENC OF HER NEW POSN GO FAR BEYOND OREGON.THE OCSN OF THE FIRST OPENLY BISEXUAL ERNOR OF THE UNED STAT IS A CULTURAL WATERSHED FOR BISEXUAL PEOPLE THE UNED STAT, WHO HAVE HISTORILLY BEEN BETTER REPRENTED BY CELEBRI LIKE BOWIE THAN BY POLICIANS LIKE BROWN.WH SAME-SEX MARRIAGE THE UNED STAT—WHICH HAS TRADNALLY BEEN REPRENTED AS AN EXCLIVELY GAY OR LBIAN ISSUE—SEEMG ALL BUT EVABLE 2015 AND PUBLIC ATTENTN QUICKLY TURNG TO WHAT TIME HAS LLED “THE TRANSGENR TIPPG POT,” THE “B” THE LGBT IS AT RISK OF BEG LOST THE SHUFFLE. BROWN’S ASSUMPTN OF STATE LEARSHIP 2015 IS A PARTICULARLY FORTUO OPPORTUNY TO KEEP BISEXUAL PEOPLE THE NVERSATN SURROUNDG LGBT EQUALY, AS THE UNTRY’S FOC SHIFTS TO THE LAST TWO LETTERS OF THAT UBIQUO ACRONYM.BROWN’S ERNORSHIP AT A SURPRISG MOMENT WHEN BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE RELUCTANT TO BE OUT THAN THEIR GAY AND LBIAN UNTERPARTS. ACRDG TO THE 2009 NATNAL SURVEY OF SEXUAL HEALTH AND BEHAVR, OVER HALF OF ALL LGB PEOPLE THE UNED STAT INTIFY AS BISEXUAL. DPE THIS CLEAR MAJORY WH THE LGBT MUNY, BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE MUCH LS VISIBLE.ALMOST HALF OF BISEXUAL EMPLOYE ARE PLETELY THE CLOSET AT WORK, AS PARED TO ONLY A QUARTER OF GAY AND LBIAN EMPLOYE. AND ACRDG TO A 2013 PEW SURVEY ONLY 28 PERCENT OF BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE OUT TO“ALL OR MOST OF THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE THEIR LIFE” AS PARED TO THE MAJORY OF GAY MEN AND LBIANS WHO ARE OUT.THIS UNRREPRENTATN OF BISEXUAL PEOPLE PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL SPHER IS EVEN MORE VISIBLE THE WORLD OF U.S. POLICS. IN 2012, THE ADVOTE ULD ONLY UNT FIVE OPENLY BISEXUAL STATE OFFICIALS CLUDG BROWN OUT OF THE THEN-90 OR SO LGBT STATE-LEVEL LEGISLATORS. THAT’S A LOT LS THAN HALF.SCE THAT TIME, FORMER ARIZONA STATE SENATOR KYRSTEN SEMA HAS BEE THE FIRST OUT BISEXUAL NGRSWOMAN BUT THAT’S THE HIGHT AN OPENLY BISEXUAL PERSON HAS CLIMBED UNTIL NOW, MAKG BROWN THE HIGHT-RANKG OPENLY BISEXUAL PUBLIC OFFICIAL U.S. HISTORY.GIVEN THE REPORTED PREVALENCE OF BISEXUALY RELATIVE TO HOMOSEXUALY, THERE ARE ALMOST CERTALY BISEXUAL POLICIANS WHO ARE STILL THE CLOSET. IN THE POLIL REALM, HOWEVER, WHERE SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS NOT JT A MATTER OF DISCRIMATN BUT A FACTOR ONE’S VERY ELECTABILY, ’S NOT SURPRISG THAT VERY FEW OF THEM HAVE CHOSEN TO E OUT.BUT WHY ARE BISEXUAL PEOPLE, PARTICULAR, LAGGG SO FAR BEHD TERMS OF THEIR WILLGNS TO E OUT?BROWN’S OWN STORY NTAS ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER: MANY BISEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN FEAR SOCIAL EXCLN OM BOTH STRAIGHT PEOPLE AS WELL AS LBIANS AND GAY MEN.IN AN SAY FOR A LLECTN ABOUT OUT ELECTED OFFICIALS, BROWN RELLS RECEIVG PHBACK OM ALL SIS WHEN HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN BEME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. HER STRAIGHT IENDS PERHAPS PREDICTABLY PERPETUATED THE STEREOTYPE THAT BISEXUAL PEOPLE JT N’T PICK A SI—BUT MORE ALARMG IS THAT HER IENDS THE LBIAN AND GAY MUNY “LLED [HER] HALF-QUEER.”EVEN HER PARENTS TOLD HER: “IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER FOR IF YOU WERE A LBIAN.”“SOME DAYS I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A FOOT BOTH WORLDS, YET NEVER REALLY BELONGG TO EHER,” BROWN WROTE AT THE TIME.FEELG EXCLUD OM BOTH SIS OF THE SEXUAL AISLE IS A MON EXPERIENCE FOR BISEXUAL AMERINS. IN FACT, ACRDG TO THE ABOVE-REFERENCED 2013 PEW SURVEY, LGBT AMERINS PERCEIVE BISEXUALY TO BE THE LEAST ACCEPTED SEXUAL ORIENTATN, ALTHOUGH BISEXUAL WOMEN TEND TO FARE FAR BETTER THAN BISEXUAL MEN.BISEXUALY IS CERTALY THE LEAST UNRSTOOD SEXUAL ORIENTATN A CULTURE ACCTOMED TO ONLY SEEG SEXUALY THROUGH A BARY LENS, AND REMAS SURROUND BY PARTICULARLY PERNIC CULTURAL MYTHS—ON PERPETUATED BY BOTH GAY AND STRAIGHT PEOPLE.THE MYTHS HAVE LONG AFFECTED BROWN’S REER.WHEN BROWN WAS FIRST OUTED, FOR EXAMPLE, BILL MARKHAM, AN OLR LLEAGUE THE OREGON HOE REPORTEDLY JOKED: “GUS THAT MEANS I STILL HAVE A CHANCE?” WHILE WOULD BE EASY TO DISMISS MARKHAM’S ALLEGED MENT AS A FAIAR FORM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, IS ALSO NOTICEABLY TGED BY THE STEREOTYPE THAT BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE MORE PROMISCUO AND HENCE MORE APPROACHABLE.THE OREGONIAN ALSO REPORTS THAT, 2008, A PORTLAND LGBT MAGAZE ADVISED BROWN TO “BUTCH UP” IF SHE WANTED TO BE TAKEN SERLY AS AN LGBT PUBLIC OFFICIAL. FOR THE MANY BISEXUAL WOMEN WHO FEEL VISIBLE LGBT CIRCL BEE THEY PRENT “FEMME” AND ARE THEREFORE READ AS STRAIGHT, THIS JUNCTN TO “BUTCH UP” IS A FAIAR ONE, OFTEN EXPERIENCED AS A SUBTLE CULTURAL PRSURE EVEN WHEN REMAS UNSPOKEN.AND TODAY, THE FACT THAT BROWN IS CURRENTLY MARRIED TO A MAN, DAN LTLE, IS REPORTEDLY BEG RAISED TO QUTN HER ALLEGIANCE TO THE LGBT MUNY. BISEXUAL PEOPLE WH OPPOSE-SEX PARTNERS—AND PERHAPS PARTICULARLY BISEXUAL WOMEN WH MALE PARTNERS LIKE BROWN—OFTEN FEEL EXCLUD OM LBIAN AND GAY MUNI, EHER BEE THEY ARE DISMISSED AS “STRAIGHT” OR BEE THEY ARE PERCEIVED TO HAVE TOO MUCH PRIVILEGE TO BE MEANGFULLY VTED THE E.BROWN MAY HAVE A LONG TRACK RERD OF SUPPORTG PRO-LGBT LEGISLATN OREGON, BUT SHE WILL LIKELY HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD AS A LBIAN POLICIAN TO BE READ AS AN ADVOTE, SIMPLY BEE HER SPOE IS A MAN.BUT BY BEG THE FIRST BISEXUAL ERNOR, BROWN NOW HAS MORE POWER THAN EVER TO BE FLUENTIAL HELPG TO END THE SAME FORMS OF PREJUDICE. IN ADDN TO REPORTG THAT BISEXUALY SEEMS TO BE THE LEAST ACCEPTED ORIENTATN, LGBT AMERINS ALSO TOLD PEW THAT “WELL-KNOWN PUBLIC FIGUR WHO ARE OPEN ABOUT BEG LGBT” IS THE SEND MOST HELPFUL FACTOR “MAKG SOCIETY MORE ACCEPTG OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LGBT.” THAT’S SEND ONLY BEHD PEOPLE GETTG TO KNOW LGBT PEOPLE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.SO FAR, THE U.S. HAS SEEN S FAIR SHARE OF BISEXUAL CELEBRI—GORE VIDAL, PETE TOWNSHEND, ANGELA JOLIE, MEGAN FOX, AND MARGARET CHO HAVE ALL BORNE THE LABEL—BUT BISEXUAL PUBLIC FIGUR OTHER SPHER ARE FEWER AND FURTHER BETWEEN. THE ONLY LGBT POLICIANS THAT PEW RPONNTS ULD POT TO AS DITORS OF PROGRS WERE EHER GAY OR LBIAN.THERE’S A DIRE NEED FOR MORE BISEXUAL PUBLIC FIGUR AND BROWN, HOWEVER UNWTGLY AND LERALLY OVERNIGHT, HAS BEE THE RIGHT WOMAN FOR THE JOB.KATE BROWN HAS JT BEE THE MOST WELL-KNOWN BISEXUAL POLICIAN THE UNED STAT. WHAT SHE WILL DO WH THIS NEWFOUND STAT REMAS TO BE SEEN BUT HER ERNORSHIP ULD NOT HAVE E AT A BETTER MOMENT FOR THE MANY BISEXUAL AMERINS WHO LOOK AT THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND SEE NO ONE LIKE THEM. SAMANTHA ALLEN
The natn narrowly missed havg s first openly gay elected ernor 2014, when Reprentative Mike Michd's bid to feat cumbent Pl LePage Mae fell ascensn may be a wele return to normalcy for Oregon's polil tablishment, which has been shaken by the bizarre sndal that brought Kzhaber down. Hoe Speaker Ta Kotek, who is gay, tmpeted Brown's work advocy and later ernment, addg, "I am also proud that Oregon has aga ma history as a lear equaly, wh Kate Brown now servg as the natn's first ernor om the lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr muny. "Brown is now Oregon's send female ernor as well as the first out lbian, gay, bisexual, or transgenr ernor the Uned Stat (New Jersey Gov.
Jim McGreevey rigned after g out as gay). Jim McGreevey me out as gay 2004 while already office, but rigned months later. But rapid advanc gay rights, cludg same-sex marriage, shiftg public attus (pecially among younger Amerins), pl the growg number of openly gay and lbian elected and appoted officials prompts a “no big al” attu among most Oregonians.
Hoe Speaker Ta Kotek is openly Brown, 54, who liv Portland wh her hband of 15 years Dan Ltle and two stepchildren, has been open about her sexualy throughout her long polil reer, cludg years the state legislature where she served as Senate Majory Lear – the first woman the state to hold that gay rights have been expandg at the natnal and state level, bisexual people – the “B” the lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr (LGBT) muny – have had particular Saz, vice print of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), says bisexuals may some rpects face greater challeng than gays and lbians.