Break out the rainbow flags and glitter, time for some good news out of DC for a change. Our current Congress, the 118th, has broken records for the most lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer representation in history. Thirteen members of the Senate and House of Representatives identify as either L, G, B, T, or Q. One of those does include the lying, embattled, already disgraced New Yorker George Santos, but for today he counts as a number lol.
Even though we are making gains there is still a long way to go. The Pew Research Center reported that,
“Despite the steady increase in LGB representation on Capitol Hill, this group remains underrepresented compared with the U.S. population as a whole. The 13 LGB members of Congress account for about 2% of the 534 voting lawmakers as of Jan. 3, 2023. LGB Americans make up 6.5% of the adult population overall, according to a 2021 Gallup survey.”
Robert Garcia, first out gay immigrant in the US House, joins the most queer Congress in US history. Congratulations to Garcia, the LGBTQ community and to America. #RepresentationMatters https://t.co/Jg0lO3Y6Xi
— Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) January 8, 2023
All of the eleven queer members in the House are Democrats. The one lone Republican is Santos. The Pew Research Center also reported on other important milestones happening in US government this year explaining, “The record congressional diversity in sexual orientation comes alongside several other milestones in LGBTQ political leadership in the United States. In the November midterm elections, Maura Healey of Massachusetts and Tina Kotek of Oregon became the first openly lesbian governors in U.S. history. And several state legislatures now include transgender or nonbinary lawmakers for the first time, including New Hampshire, which became the first state in the country to elect a transgender man to its state legislature.”
Another mom headed to Congress! @BeccaBalintVT, a queer and Jewish former middle school teacher, will be Vermont’s first woman and first openly gay member of Congress.
This also means that every state in the U.S. will have finally sent a woman to Congress. Welcome, Vermont! pic.twitter.com/cPgGxKrvyY
— reshmasaujani (@reshmasaujani) November 9, 2022
Hey look! It’s the three new gay & queer freshman of the upcoming Congress. So excited to serve w/ @BeccaBalintVT & @ERICSORENSEN.🌈💖✨👯 pic.twitter.com/u8SliPVk6X
— Robert Garcia (@RobertGarcia) November 18, 2022
Does this news take the sting out of Democrats inexplicably losing the House? Will any legislation be passed in the next two years or will it be more of the same buffoonary we have seen in the first chaotic days of 2023? Sound off in the comments below.
Sources: The Pew Research Center
Nice having gay representation. In the future hope there’s even more gay men in office <3