caption district website succeeded religion birth_place party article_title preceded committees birth_date term_start residence image state_delegate name occupation alma_mater
sickles in 2011 43rd -lsb- http://www.marksickles.com www.marksickles.com -rsb- incumbent presbyterian arlington , virginia democratic mark d. sickles
 tom bolvin agriculture and institutions privileges and elections , chesapeake and natural resources health , welfare 1957 2 18 january 14 , 2004 franconia , virginia mark d. sickles 2011.jpg virginia mark d. sickles public affairs clemson university georgia institute of technology
mark d. sickles

mark d. sickles -lrb- born february 18 , 1957 -rrb- is an american politician .
he has served in the virginia house of delegates since 2004 , representing the 43rd district in the fairfax county suburbs of washington , d.c. sickles is a member of the democratic party ; he has been the house minority caucus chair since 2012 .
he announced in an washington post opinion that he is gay .
this makes him the 2nd openly gay member of the virginia general assembly behind senator adam ebbin .
sickles has served on the house committees on agriculture , chesapeake and natural resources -lrb- 2010 -- -rrb- , commerce and labor -lrb- 2006 -- 2009 -rrb- , health , welfare and institutions -lrb- 2004 -- -rrb- and privileges and elections -lrb- 2004 -- -rrb- .
