Hoton’s Annise Parker, a gay mayor a red state, ponrs polil future - The Washgton Post

Contents:

• HOTON ELECTS FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR
• HOTON IS LARGT CY TO ELECT OPENLY GAY MAYOR
• OPENLY GAY MAYOR OF HOTON SHUTS DOWN CRICS AFTER MARRYG HER LONGTIME PARTNER
• ANNISE PARKER: OPENLY GAY MAYOR ELECTED IN HOTON, TEXAS
• ONE OF THE TEXANS ULD BEE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK STATE LEGISLATORVENTON JON, JOLANDA JON AND CHRISTIAN “MANUEL” HAY ARE NNG FOR OPEN TEXAS HOE SEATS DALLAS, HOTON AND BEMONT, RPECTIVELY. ALL THREE ARE GAY AND WOULD BEE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK STATE LEGISLATOR IF ELECTED.CHRISTIAN "MANUEL" HAY (OM LEFT), JOLANDA JON AND VENTON JON ARE NNG FOR OPEN TEXAS HOE SEATS BEMONT, HOTON AND DALLAS, RPECTIVELY. ALL THREE ARE GAY AND WOULD BEE THE FIRST STATE'S FIRST BLACK AND OPENLY LGBTQ LEGISLATORS IF ELECTED.(FILE)BY LREN MCGGHY9:37 AM ON MAR 7, 2022 CST — UPDATED AT 3:12 PM ON MAR 18, 2022 CDTLISTENAUSTIN — TEXAS VOTERS MAY ELECT THE STATE’S FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK LEGISLATOR THIS YEAR.VENTON JON, JOLANDA JON AND CHRISTIAN “MANUEL” HAY ARE NNG FOR OPEN TEXAS HOE SEATS DALLAS, HOTON AND BEMONT, RPECTIVELY. ALL THREE ARE GAY AND WOULD BEE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK STATE LEGISLATORS IF ELECTED.ADVERTISEMENTEACH WILL FACE FELLOW DEMOCRATS THE MAY NOFF ELECTN. IN THE HOTON AND BEMONT RAC, THE WNER WILL FACE A REPUBLIN OPPONENT NOVEMBER.ADVERTISEMENTA TOTAL OF 24 OPENLY LGBTQ NDIDAT WON THEIR PRIMARI THIS MONTH , ACRDG TO LGBTQ VICTORY FUND, A GROUP THAT ADVOT FOR LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND QUEER NDIDAT FOR ELECTED OFFICE. OF THOSE, 13 ARE NNG FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WHERE THERE ARE CURRENTLY FIVE OPENLY LGBTQ MEMBERS.POLIL POTSGET THE LATT POLICS NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITANNISE PARKER, PRINT AND CEO OF LGBTQ VICTORY FUND AND THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR OF HOTON, SAID THE PROLIFERATN OF THE NDIDAT SHOWS VOTERS ARE MANDG CHANGE THE PAL.“TIME AND TIME AGA, WE WNS HOW UNEQUABLE REPRENTATN CREAT A RIPPLE EFFECT OF HATE AND HARMFUL POLICI THAT IMPACT ALL OUR LIV. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” PARKER SAID A STATEMENT.ADVERTISEMENTRELATED:FIVE WOMEN START TEXAS LEGISLATURE'S FIRST LGBTQ UCDALLAS SEATVENTON JON, WHO IS VYG TO REPRENT THE SPRAWLG OAK CLIFF DISTRICT THAT STRETCH ACROSS SOUTH DALLAS, WOULD NOT ONLY BE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ BLACK LEGISLATOR IF ELECTED. HE’D ALSO BE THE FIRST KNOWN TO BE OPENLY LIVG WH HIV.ADVERTISEMENT“I’M SPIRED BY THE OPPORTUNY ABOUT BEG ONE OF THE FIRSTS,” JON SAID. “BEG BLACK, BEG LGBT AND BEG HIV POSIVE — IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT HAS TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF REPRENTATN, THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUY, THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERYTHG WE’RE FIGHTG FOR.”ADVERTISEMENTJON SAID HIS EXPERTISE MUNY HEALTH HAS “PERFECTLY PREPARED HIM” TO LEAD AT THIS MOMENT, AS TEXAS EMERG OM THE COVID-19 PANMIC. HIS OTHER POLICY FOC AREAS WILL BE ASTCTURE, PUBLIC TN AND VOTG RIGHTS. WHILE HE WAS BORN AND RAISED THE DISTRICT, JON SAID NAME REGNN HAS BEEN THE TOUGHT PART OF THE ELECTN BEE HE HAS NEVER N FOR ELECTED OFFICE BEFORE.HE ALSO BLASTED STATE OFFICIALS’ RECENT EFFORTS TO TARGET HEALTH RE ACCS FOR TRANSGENR CHILDREN.“IT HURTS MY HEART TO SEE THOSE THGS HAPPEN,” JON SAID. “THAT IS PART OF THE REASON I AM EVEN HERE TODAY THIS RACE IS TO BE ABLE TO RAISE MY VOICE AND TO BE ABLE TO E MY WORK TO HELP.”ADVERTISEMENTRELATED:WE REMEND THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR TEXAS HOE DISTRICT 100HE WILL FACE SANDRA CRENSHAW THE MAY 24 NOFF.CRENSHAW, A FORMER DALLAS CY UNCILWOMAN, BTED VENTON BY 728 VOT THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. SHE CREDED HER ADVOCY WORK ON MENTAL HEALTH RE AND HOMELSNS AS ONE REASON SHE END UP THE TOP SPOT HEAD TO THE NOFF. SHE WOULD LIKE TO FOC MORE ON CHANGG THE CRIMAL JTICE SYSTEM FUTURE.“I WANT TO MAKE A NTRIBUTN, WHETHER I’M ELECTED OR NOT, FOR THOSE RCERATED,” CRENSHAW SAID.ADVERTISEMENTSHE ACCED JON’ MPAIGN OF SPREADG A MOR SHE IS HOMOPHOBIC, AN ALLEGATN HE STRONGLY NIED.CRENSHAW NIED BEG ANTI-GAY — NOTG “I BELIEVE THAT GOD MA NO MISTAK” — BUT ADD SHE IS OM AN OLR GENERATN AND DO NOT FEEL FORTABLE WH PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTN BY ANYONE REGARDLS OF THEIR SEXUALY.“I JT DON’T LIKE . AND I THK I HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT OPN,” SHE SAID. “THAT DON’T MAKE ME HATE THEM OR FEEL ANY DIFFERENT TOWARD THEM.”THE DALLAS SEAT IS BEG VATED BY STATE REP. JASME CROCKETT, WHO IS NNG FOR CONGRS. CROCKETT HAD NOT ENDORSED THE PRIMARY.ADVERTISEMENTHOTON SEAT
• HOTON’S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR ON HOW THE CY BEME ONE OF AMERI’S MOST DIVERSE: SEASON 2, EPISO 1 OF 'LET’S GO TOGETHER'
• HOTON’S ANNISE PARKER, A GAY MAYOR A RED STATE, PONRS POLIL FUTURE
• ANNISE PARKER: OPENLY GAY MAYOR ELECTED IN HOTON, TEXAS

HOTON ELECTS FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR

Cy Parker, who served five years as cy ntroller, won wh nearly 54 percent of vote Conservativ, anti-gay activists had lnched tense mpaign agast Parker Hoton, Texas (CNN) -- Annise Parker ma history Saturday as Hoton's first openly gay mayor.

HOTON IS LARGT CY TO ELECT OPENLY GAY MAYOR

Other ci such as Province, Rho Island, and Portland, Oregon, have picked openly gay mayors. Also, the cy ss a state where gay marriage is agast the law. "I have always stood up for the fact that I am gay.

OPENLY GAY MAYOR OF HOTON SHUTS DOWN CRICS AFTER MARRYG HER LONGTIME PARTNER

After the mayoral race entered a noff, nservativ and anti-gay activists mounted an tense mpaign agast Parker. Hoton rints received flyers the mail that highlighted Parker's support om gay groups and her relatnship wh her partner. 12, 2009HOUSTON — Hoton beme the largt cy the Uned Stat to elect an openly gay mayor on Saturday night, as voters gave a solid victory to the cy ntroller, Annise Parker.

ANNISE PARKER: OPENLY GAY MAYOR ELECTED IN HOTON, TEXAS

But she began her reer as an advote for gay rights the 1980s, and was lost on no one Hoton, a cy of 2. 2 ln people, that her electn marked a tone for gay men and lbians around the J. Phillip/Associated Prs Several smaller ci other regns have chosen openly gay mayors, among them Province, R.

ONE OF THE TEXANS ULD BEE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK STATE LEGISLATORVENTON JON, JOLANDA JON AND CHRISTIAN “MANUEL” HAY ARE NNG FOR OPEN TEXAS HOE SEATS DALLAS, HOTON AND BEMONT, RPECTIVELY. ALL THREE ARE GAY AND WOULD BEE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK STATE LEGISLATOR IF ELECTED.CHRISTIAN "MANUEL" HAY (OM LEFT), JOLANDA JON AND VENTON JON ARE NNG FOR OPEN TEXAS HOE SEATS BEMONT, HOTON AND DALLAS, RPECTIVELY. ALL THREE ARE GAY AND WOULD BEE THE FIRST STATE'S FIRST BLACK AND OPENLY LGBTQ LEGISLATORS IF ELECTED.(FILE)BY LREN MCGGHY9:37 AM ON MAR 7, 2022 CST — UPDATED AT 3:12 PM ON MAR 18, 2022 CDTLISTENAUSTIN — TEXAS VOTERS MAY ELECT THE STATE’S FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK LEGISLATOR THIS YEAR.VENTON JON, JOLANDA JON AND CHRISTIAN “MANUEL” HAY ARE NNG FOR OPEN TEXAS HOE SEATS DALLAS, HOTON AND BEMONT, RPECTIVELY. ALL THREE ARE GAY AND WOULD BEE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ AND BLACK STATE LEGISLATORS IF ELECTED.ADVERTISEMENTEACH WILL FACE FELLOW DEMOCRATS THE MAY NOFF ELECTN. IN THE HOTON AND BEMONT RAC, THE WNER WILL FACE A REPUBLIN OPPONENT NOVEMBER.ADVERTISEMENTA TOTAL OF 24 OPENLY LGBTQ NDIDAT WON THEIR PRIMARI THIS MONTH , ACRDG TO LGBTQ VICTORY FUND, A GROUP THAT ADVOT FOR LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND QUEER NDIDAT FOR ELECTED OFFICE. OF THOSE, 13 ARE NNG FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WHERE THERE ARE CURRENTLY FIVE OPENLY LGBTQ MEMBERS.POLIL POTSGET THE LATT POLICS NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITANNISE PARKER, PRINT AND CEO OF LGBTQ VICTORY FUND AND THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR OF HOTON, SAID THE PROLIFERATN OF THE NDIDAT SHOWS VOTERS ARE MANDG CHANGE THE PAL.“TIME AND TIME AGA, WE WNS HOW UNEQUABLE REPRENTATN CREAT A RIPPLE EFFECT OF HATE AND HARMFUL POLICI THAT IMPACT ALL OUR LIV. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” PARKER SAID A STATEMENT.ADVERTISEMENTRELATED:FIVE WOMEN START TEXAS LEGISLATURE'S FIRST LGBTQ UCDALLAS SEATVENTON JON, WHO IS VYG TO REPRENT THE SPRAWLG OAK CLIFF DISTRICT THAT STRETCH ACROSS SOUTH DALLAS, WOULD NOT ONLY BE THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ BLACK LEGISLATOR IF ELECTED. HE’D ALSO BE THE FIRST KNOWN TO BE OPENLY LIVG WH HIV.ADVERTISEMENT“I’M SPIRED BY THE OPPORTUNY ABOUT BEG ONE OF THE FIRSTS,” JON SAID. “BEG BLACK, BEG LGBT AND BEG HIV POSIVE — IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT HAS TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF REPRENTATN, THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUY, THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERYTHG WE’RE FIGHTG FOR.”ADVERTISEMENTJON SAID HIS EXPERTISE MUNY HEALTH HAS “PERFECTLY PREPARED HIM” TO LEAD AT THIS MOMENT, AS TEXAS EMERG OM THE COVID-19 PANMIC. HIS OTHER POLICY FOC AREAS WILL BE ASTCTURE, PUBLIC TN AND VOTG RIGHTS. WHILE HE WAS BORN AND RAISED THE DISTRICT, JON SAID NAME REGNN HAS BEEN THE TOUGHT PART OF THE ELECTN BEE HE HAS NEVER N FOR ELECTED OFFICE BEFORE.HE ALSO BLASTED STATE OFFICIALS’ RECENT EFFORTS TO TARGET HEALTH RE ACCS FOR TRANSGENR CHILDREN.“IT HURTS MY HEART TO SEE THOSE THGS HAPPEN,” JON SAID. “THAT IS PART OF THE REASON I AM EVEN HERE TODAY THIS RACE IS TO BE ABLE TO RAISE MY VOICE AND TO BE ABLE TO E MY WORK TO HELP.”ADVERTISEMENTRELATED:WE REMEND THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR TEXAS HOE DISTRICT 100HE WILL FACE SANDRA CRENSHAW THE MAY 24 NOFF.CRENSHAW, A FORMER DALLAS CY UNCILWOMAN, BTED VENTON BY 728 VOT THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. SHE CREDED HER ADVOCY WORK ON MENTAL HEALTH RE AND HOMELSNS AS ONE REASON SHE END UP THE TOP SPOT HEAD TO THE NOFF. SHE WOULD LIKE TO FOC MORE ON CHANGG THE CRIMAL JTICE SYSTEM FUTURE.“I WANT TO MAKE A NTRIBUTN, WHETHER I’M ELECTED OR NOT, FOR THOSE RCERATED,” CRENSHAW SAID.ADVERTISEMENTSHE ACCED JON’ MPAIGN OF SPREADG A MOR SHE IS HOMOPHOBIC, AN ALLEGATN HE STRONGLY NIED.CRENSHAW NIED BEG ANTI-GAY — NOTG “I BELIEVE THAT GOD MA NO MISTAK” — BUT ADD SHE IS OM AN OLR GENERATN AND DO NOT FEEL FORTABLE WH PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTN BY ANYONE REGARDLS OF THEIR SEXUALY.“I JT DON’T LIKE . AND I THK I HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT OPN,” SHE SAID. “THAT DON’T MAKE ME HATE THEM OR FEEL ANY DIFFERENT TOWARD THEM.”THE DALLAS SEAT IS BEG VATED BY STATE REP. JASME CROCKETT, WHO IS NNG FOR CONGRS. CROCKETT HAD NOT ENDORSED THE PRIMARY.ADVERTISEMENTHOTON SEAT

Parker’s succs me a nservative state where voters have outlawed gay marriage and a cy where a referendum on grantg benefs to same-sex partners of cy employe was soundly feated. Parker for what they lled her gay agenda and two separate anti-gay advot who sent out fliers the mail llg attentn to her support om gay groups and to her relatnship wh her partner. Pool/Hoton Chronicle, via Associated PrsSome natnal gay-rights groups, meanwhile, me to the aid of Ms.

Parker’s speech clud dozens of young gay men and lbians who had volunteered on her mpaign. ”Robert Shipman, who is gay and worked long hours for Ms. Parker, said: “The diversy this room, ’s not jt gay people, ’s gay, straight, black, whe, Jew, Christian, Mlim, every kd of person.

HOTON’S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR ON HOW THE CY BEME ONE OF AMERI’S MOST DIVERSE: SEASON 2, EPISO 1 OF 'LET’S GO TOGETHER'

“We have to all work together to brg our cy closer and closer together, ” he Parker appeared to have bbled together a wng aln of whe liberals and gay people, who were expected to turn out large Marc ntributed reportg om Hoton. Wife & Gay? Parker, a Democrat who beme one of the first openly gay mayors Ameri after wng office December 2009.

Parker and gay rights advot that attracted natnal attentn and gave social nservativ their most signifint victory sce their setback at the Supreme Court June, when a nstutnal right to same-sex marriage was the bate over the ordance, Hoton has been a llective state of nervons for months. Annise Parker has an unbeatable lead over Gene Locke Hoton's hotly ntted mayoral electn, meang she will bee the cy's first openly gay Harris County electns Web se says 53. 62 percent of voters who turned out Saturday chose rival, former cy attorney Gene Locke, was pchg to bee the cy's send black electn battle leadg up to Saturday's ballotg was marked by fierce mpaigng and anti-gay rhetoric.

Cy to ever have an openly gay Gay & Lbian Victory Fund put out a prs release llg this "a watershed moment Amerin polics. --Hoton, Texas has bee the largt cy the Uned Stat to elect an openly gay mayor after Cy Controller Annise Parker was clared the wner of a noff electn tonight.

HOTON’S ANNISE PARKER, A GAY MAYOR A RED STATE, PONRS POLIL FUTURE

But Parker's endorsements om labor, police, women's, gay rights and other groups were echoed by the Hoton Chronicle, the area's major daily newspaper, and her mpaign ran a superr get-out-the-vote Wolfe, print and CEO of the Gay & Lbian Victory Fund, which endorsed Parker, said her victory holds tremendo signifince for the gay muny. This victory sends a clear signal that gays and lbians are an tegral part of Amerin civic life, that we're willg to lead, and that voters will rpond to ndidat who are open and hont about their liv, " Wolfe praised the support of the Victory Fund and s donors, who raised hundreds of thoands of dollars to help fund her mpaign. Tonight Hotonians said y to a future like that, and I am glad the Victory Fund helped make that happen, " Parker 's electn was the Victory Fund's top polil prry 2009, a year that saw 54 of s 79 endorsed openly gay, lbian bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) ndidat elected to public office.

ANNISE PARKER: OPENLY GAY MAYOR ELECTED IN HOTON, TEXAS

All three are gay and would bee the first openly LGBTQ and Black state legislators if will face fellow Democrats the May noff electn. A total of 24 openly LGBTQ ndidat won their primari this month, acrdg to LGBTQ Victory Fund, a group that advot for lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer ndidat for elected office. Polil PotsGet the latt polics news om North Texas and Parker, print and CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund and the first openly gay mayor of Hoton, said the proliferatn of the ndidat shows voters are mandg change the pal.

“I want to make a ntributn, whether I’m elected or not, for those rcerated, ” Crenshaw acced Jon’ mpaign of spreadg a mor she is homophobic, an allegatn he strongly nied.

Crenshaw nied beg anti-gay — notg “I believe that God ma no mistak” — but add she is om an olr generatn and do not feel fortable wh public displays of affectn by anyone regardls of their sexualy.