http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/12/houston-mayor-annise-parker-lesbian.html Like I've said Texans are more concerned with taxes than who a person sleeps with.
They just don't want the people of the same sex who sleep together to be married... Still, that is a step in the right direction towards equality..
At least the stereotype is dying as well. It's idioitic how people think being gay here is so awful and that you'll be shot by rednecks, won't be accepted, etc. when that isn't the case at all.
It's good to see a 'queer' person elected for something other than gay rights - the best type of equality is the type where it doesn't even matter. If that makes any sense.
This is so true. Dallas has the sixth largest gay population in the US and is recognized for being one of the most gay-friendly cities around. @Kettleoffish I completly agree. I think this is an example of how homosexuality is finally becoming well enough integrated into society that it is not considered abnormal...certainly at least not any reason to effect if you would vote for someone or not.
She, along with Barney Frank show that orientation should not matter to how well someone can do a particular job. Maybe people like this will help and assure that ENDA passes very soon.
Houston is more progressive than, say, Dallas, but much less progressive than Austin. I have several friends who live in Texas, so I know a little bit about the state in terms of the political breakdowns. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6767621.html What is interesting about her victory is that, as the Chronicle points out in the article above, in several of Houston's reliably Republican precincts, the Mayor-Elect consistently finished first or second while her main challenger, who aligned himself with blatant homophobes finished fourth...that is a very good sign when even Republican areas are voting without regard to a candidate's sexual orientation. A very good sign, indeed.
