From: buckmr@vccsouth15.its.rpi.edu (Ron Buckmire)
Subject: Re: Ken Reeves, first black, openly gay mayor in the US
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 23:17:25 GMT

dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) writes:

>[Reprinted without permission from the Cambridge Chronicle,
>Cambridge, Massachusetts, Thursday. December 10, 1992.]

>Mayor Reeves reveals he's gay

>Activists hail him as nation's first black, openly gay mayor

Holy Sh*t! Cool beans. Something about that Massachusetts air has so many 
people in government coming out, or what? :-)

About Ken Reeves---is he single? :-)

Any pictures for the motss archives? Height of 6' 1" sounds like a good start...

>Gary Daffin of Dana Street, the first black co-chair of the Mass. Gay
>and Lesbian Political Caucus, said young black homosexuals are in
>special need of people to look up to.  "I think for black gay men and
>women, this is a very welcome step because there aren't many role
>models for African-American gay and lesbian kids," said Daffin, 29.
>"One of the things that those of us who are activists talk about
>consistently is the need to have more people of color out and clearly a
>part of the larger gay and lesbian community."
Word! :-)


>Reeves, an attorney, said he has worked to get a Gay Men of African
>Descent organized in this area, but so far no one has taken enough of a
>leadership role to get it off the ground.  The 41-year-old mayor, who
>has served one prior term on the council, said he recognizes he could
>also pay a price for being more open, but he foresees "no price I am
>not prepared to meet."  He predicted his personal and political life
>will be basically business as usual.  "I think life and human relations
>all boil down to if they're authentic or not and I ... haven't
>changed," said Reeves, who grew up in Detroit and came to Cambridge to
>attend Harvard. "I've been the beneficiary of a lot of people's love
>and that's been very important.  The people who actually love you,
>love you no matter what and want you to be happy and give you that room."
Well it seems sort of sad that they haven't been able to start a GMAD in the
Cambridge area. Perhaps we coul.d have a discussion about that?


>Reeves, who said he has been gay his whole life, called his sexuality
>"an integral part of who I am, as is being black and being six-foot-one."
>"I knew I embodied two kinds of firsts here in Massachusetts and I
>guess I had to accept the challenges of both," said Reeves.  "In 1992
>you have a real responsibility to be yourself."  Last month, Weld
>appointees Mitch Adams, commissioner of revenue, and Kevin Smith, sec-
>retary in the office of economic development, announced publicly that
>they were gay.  Elaine Noble of Cambridge, considered the first openly
>gay state legislator, received an award last year from the Greater
>Boston Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance.  The only two other openly
>gay mayors were in Bunceton, Missouri, and Santa Monica, Calif., Gorton
>said.  Reeves believes the country is becoming increasingly tolerant
>under Gov. Weld and President-Elect Clinton.
Actually that other openly-gay Mayor is in Laguna Beach, California, right?

>EDITORIAL: Reeves' revelation creates new challenge in city of firsts

>The sooner we realize that there are gay politicians and gay garbage
>people, gay doctors and lawyers, gay teens and gay newspaper people,
>the better off we'll all be.

>"I hope that the awareness of the community that I'm gay will help this
>community be a less homophobic one," said Reeves, "and help the
>community see and understand that leadership comes from a lot of
>different types of people."

>We hope so too.

Cool editorial!! 
-- 
RON BUCKMIRE, 11 Colvin Circle, Troy, NY 12180-3735. ``D.C. in '93!''
vox:(518)-276-8910 fax:(518)-276-6920 buckmr@rpi.edu buckmr@rpitsmts.bitnet
``The Rodney King jury has re-examined the Zapruder footage and has decided
that JFK's injuries were self-inflicted.'' -- joke in the Village Voice.