Taking Little Steps

This is a very small step forward in an extremely conservative state. Utah has elected an openly gay man to the Utah Senate. Granted, he won by only three votes, but maybe that is progress.

Gay activist appointed to Utah Senate

SALT LAKE CITY -- The first openly gay member of the Utah state Senate was sworn in Monday. Addressing colleagues in one of the most conservative legislative bodies in the nation, Democrat Scott McCoy, 34, said his sexual orientation will not define his work as a lawmaker.

“The fact that I am gay is certainly one of the characteristics with which I have been endowed by my creator and it is an important part of who I am as a human being,” he said. “But it is certainly not the only characteristic that defines me, just as none of my colleagues can or should be reduced to any one of their many characteristics.” [...]

McCoy was selected by party delegates over the weekend to finish the remaining two years of a term vacated by Democratic Sen. Paula Julander, who resigned because of health problems. Julander had asked that her husband, Rod, be elected to finish out her term; McCoy beat him by three votes. (source)