You'll always run up against people who want to maintain the status quo, want to guard the old way of doing things, and are suspicious of queer people wanting to do things. Take positions of leadership. You're going to make mistakes and more than likely you will live through it. Shorter ran unsuccessfully to maintain the San Francisco Community College Trustee seat she was appointed to mid-term. She is now an appointed member of the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women.
Many persons get into politics from an advocacy position, or watchdogs of the system.
I had always been on the other side as a parent advocate. The principal of my younger son's school asked me to run. New York City Councilman Reed recommends joining your block association, church association, or community advisory board. Reed worked as a community activist for 20 years, then ran for his seat unsuccessfully in 1991. He prevailed when he ran again in 1997.