1st Openly Gay Congressman Memorialized

[cal04]

Friends of the nation's first openly gay congressman remembered him Saturday as a man who went to Washington to end the Vietnam War and protect the environment, then became a champion of gay rights.

The packed memorial service for former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds featured his favored choral music and stories - some bittersweet, some humorous - about his keen devotion to Cape Cod and his skill at balancing the oft-competing interests of commercial fishermen in his Congressional district with environmentalists concerned about dwindling ocean resources.

(snip)
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., who went public with his own homosexuality four years after Studds, told the crowd of 300 at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum that Studds inspired thousands of gays and lesbians by acknowledging his sexuality without apology.

``The important thing about what Gerry did was the reaction to it. And the reaction to it was that there was no reaction,'' Frank said, adding that Studds ``helped Americans understand that they really aren't homophobic, they just thought they were supposed to be.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6254813,00.html

[pinto]

1. Thanks for the post and link.

[cal04]

3. you're very welcome pinto. Here's the Yahoo link

with some pics.
1st openly gay congressman memorialized
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061203/ap_on_re_us/studds_memorial_2

[davidinalameda]

2. Studds was an great leader

for the GLBT community and the nation

he will be missed