Queer Eye for the Ballot Box

Is Philadelphia ready for its first gay mayor?

by Natalie Hope McDonald

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Published: Jan 17, 2007

politics

They're Out: A list of local LGBT officials.  

As spokesman for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., Denis Dison says Philadelphia has one of the nation's most organized LGBT communities. "But," he notes, "there really isn't a mass of people stepping up and running for office."

That may soon change.

The Institute is organizing a "Campaign and Candidate Training" conference here Feb. 22 to 25 where they'll seek to recruit and educate prospective LGBT candidates about how to run for, and win, public office. "You learn to fundraise and the science of campaigning," says Dison. "It's not an art. It's not luck. It's hard work."

When the Victory Fund was founded in 1991, there were fewer than 50 openly gay elected officials in the country. Now, "there are 351 ... all over the country, in all levels of government," Dison says. "Last year, we endorsed 88 candidates, and 67 won. ... We want to advance equality, but we think that's done through having openly gay leaders step up and show that we want for our communities and families the same things that straight people want."

To be sure, LGBT politics risk suffering from a Jekyll and Hyde complex. One perception is of openly gay activists like U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Lupe Valdez, the first lesbian Latina elected sheriff of Dallas. The other is of disgrace from the likes of closeted Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and out Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), who retired this month during a federal inquiry into a trip he took with two former pages. Then there's former N.J. Gov. James McGreevey, whose shaky legacy rests on his "I am a gay American" confession and tell-all memoir.

With the community encompassing an estimated 300,000 Pennsylvanians, however, broad brushes can't portray all candidates. So this year, the Victory Fund is eyeing several citywide offices in Philadelphia where Dison says having an LGBT presence "changes the debate." (They wouldn't say which, but an announcement could come soon.)

In Philadelphia, there's currently only one openly LGBT candidate holding elected office: Judge Ann Butchart of the Court of Common Pleas. "The novelty of it is wearing off," says Butchart. "It doesn't put me in any unusual position. I'm not the only or first LGBT judge in Philadelphia."

Butchart claims there are LGBT officeholders in every part of city government and the Victory Fund, along with the International Association of Gay and Lesbian Judges, estimates that perhaps 100 of roughly 30,000 local, state and federal jurists are openly LGBT. Philadelphia native Deborah Batts is the only openly gay federal judge in the country. (Her lifelong appointment was made by former President Bill Clinton.)

If voters think LGBT politics aren't an issue at the ballot box, consider that Philadelphia's Court of Common Pleas and state legislators have both fended off efforts to limit or eliminate gay adoption and Philadelphia's domestic-partnership law. Moreover, OutFront! Philadelphia was instrumental in the passage of the addition of "gender identity" to the nondiscrimination language of the Philadelphia Fair Practices Code. (Two board members, Michael Williams and Kathy Padilla, a transgender person, testified before City Council.)

This year, Dan Anders, an openly gay attorney with Pepper Hamilton and longtime volunteer for LGBT events like the AIDS Fund's Gay Bingo, is running for Court of Common Pleas. He is seen as a front-runner who will offer continued support of the gay community.

"I think this is an excellent time for an openly LGBT candidate to run for office," says Renee Gilinger, chair of Liberty PA, a gay-friendly political group. "Our community also has a very good relationship with the Democratic Party and many of the area's elected officials. They know that we are eager to have more LGBT representation at the local and state level, and so far, most seem to be supportive."

In 2005, Kevin Lee became the first openly gay person elected to the Lansdowne Borough Council [News, "The Rainbow Connection," Doron Taussig, Nov. 17, 2005]. "There were questions whether an openly gay person could be elected," admits Lee, who lives with his partner in Delaware County. "I had one elected official that said I should tone my life down."

Rather than tone down, Lee accepted the invitation to be grand marshal of Philly Pride. "Some people felt like I should have asked permission before accepting," says Lee, a Democrat who says much criticism came from his own party. "I think there will always be some people who vote against you because you're gay."

During his tenure on council, strides have been made in Lansdowne that are gaining support in West Chester and Media. "We pushed through anti-discrimination language," says Lee. "I think it's important we have a voice in the public forum. We've had all of these closeted gay people who have actually been voting against things in our community."

Butchart says openly LGBT elected officials in Philadelphia only reflect the population. "It only makes sense that we are going to be seeing more people with whom sexual orientation and gender identification is just one more adjective," she says. "This is something we've been going through ever since women have been given the right to vote."

The goal of the Victory Fund in Philadelphia, says Dison, "is to increase the number of openly LGBT people in leadership roles. We fund campaigns and give strategic campaign advice to those who get the endorsement" regardless of political affiliation. (In fact, the Log Cabin Republicans are a co-sponsor of next month's conference.)

Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles has been reaching old-guard Democrats who are nervous about losing their moderate vote.

"The Victory Fund endorsed me, but the local arm of the Democratic Party elected to not accept money from them," says Lee. "They said they had a formula for electing candidates and they were afraid of changing that formula." After being elected, Lee became a Victory Fund leadership fellow and attended a three-week conference at Harvard University that was partially paid for by the fund.

At the Victory Fund's conference next month, Dison expects a turnout of more openly LGBT persons interested in seeking office in Philadelphia, as well as those wanting to become involved behind the scenes. An important strategy is not to become a single-issue candidate.

"Some people come away excited about their political career," he says. "Some come away realizing it's not for them."

Lee attributes the low turnout of openly LGBT candidates in the region to fear.

"I think people are afraid someone will lash out at them. They're afraid of anti-gay violence," he says. "But it's time to give something back and run for office as a person, not as a gay person."

(n_hopemcdonald@citypaper.net)

 

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