First openly gay man elected to public office in Alabama
by
Nick Langewis
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has reported that Tuesday night Howard J. Bayless III became the first openly gay man elected in the state of Alabama. Bayless, an attendee of the Victory Fund's Candidate and Campaign Training Program, as well as their endorsed candidate, has won a seat on the Board of Education to represent Birmingham's third district.
Bayless, sitting co-chair of the Equality Federation and former board chair of Equality Alabama, follows in the footsteps of State Rep. Patricia Todd of Birmingham, who last year became the state's first openly gay public official.
"Howard Bayless is a hero to gay people in Alabama, but his election proves that all kinds of voters respond to real leadership," says Victory Fund president and CEO Chuck Wolfe. "There will come a time when gay and lesbian candidates will be able win across the state, and people like Howard will be remembered as the trailblazers."
"This election was about the future of this community," says new Board of Education member Bayless, "and the Victory Fund understands that in order to change hearts and minds we all have to roll up our sleeves and work hard for our all our neighbors, and that’s what I’m going to do."
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Originally published on Wednesday October 10, 2007.
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