Oregon's Kate Brown to Become America’s 1st Openly Bisexual Governor

[n2doc]

Now that Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has announced his resignation, the secretary of state, Kate Brown, will replace him and become the first openly bisexual governor in the United States.

Brown wrote a short piece about coming out as bisexual while serving in the state House of Representatives in 1992.

“It wasn’t until it was written in the Oregonian newspaper that I was bisexual that I had to face the inevitable and let those around me know. Thus began my very public coming out as a bisexual,” she wrote in an essay for “Out and Elected in the USA,” an online compendium of the stories of LGBT public officials from 1974 to 2004.

First, she informed her parents, who told her, “It would be much easier for us if you were a lesbian.” Her gay friends called her “half-queer.” And she also told her straight friends, “who never thought I could make up my mind about anything anyway.”

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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/oregons-kate-brown-americas-1st-openly-bisexual-governor/story?id=28953532

[JDDavis]

1. Probably only the first "openly" Bi

But probably NOT the first ever.

Good for her. I hear she is well-respected and a level headed woman who enjoys the respect of many in Oregon and around the nation from her fellow Secretaries of State.

Although I never before followed Oregon state politics, (never lived or even visited there), I am sure I will want to watch Oregon political issues for a few years now, just because she's a trail-blazer for openly bi-sexual folks in elected office.

[marym625]

2. That is great news

Yeah, bigotry within the community. Don't tell people you're bi if you want a relationship.

[Maedhros]

3. I've liked Kate Brown since her first term in the legislature.

If she runs in the upcoming special election to fill out the remainder of Kitzhaber's term, I will work for and vote for her.

[JDDavis]

5. So there has to be a special election to get her to serve?

For the entire term?

How does that work? She gets to be acting governor for a while and then there has to be a special election?

Any folks of the R party who might win against her in an election?

[Maedhros]

6. There will be a special election in 2016 to elect Kitzhaber's successor.

Republicans may very well win, since this scandal has done great damage to the Democratic brand.

The Republican Party in Oregon is pretty much a clown car full of crazies right now, so it remains to be seen if one of them can muster enough gravitas to win a statewide election.

[JDDavis]

8. But could she possibly run again herself and possibly win?

We need more women in political office.

We need diversity, and progressive voices in every elected office, and sexual orientation has little to nothing to do with competency to serve.

Can she run? Could she win another term?

Confused.

[Maedhros]

9. Yes, she should be able to run.

I would think by then she would have at least some advantage from being the incumbent.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. I had a long conversation with her at a party once, liked her very much.

Before she was Sec of State. I good, boisterous, conversation. Happy to see her become Governor, although we could have just elected her in four years if Kitzhaber had kept his ducks in a row....

[Maedhros]

7. If she runs in 2016, she'll be an incumbent.

That might help.