On December 12, Annise Parker, 53, became the first openly gay mayor of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States. This means that Houston is the largest U.S. city to ever have a openly gay mayor. And, according to LGBTQnation: “When she takes office as mayor in January, Parker will be the highest-ranking municipal official in the LGBTQ community in the United States.”

This is awesome!!
 

Parker won the vote 53.6% to 46.4% against fellow Democrat Gene Locke. Before being voted mayor, Parker has been an at-large member of the Houston City Council since 1997 and City Controller since 2003. She is also only the second woman to ever be voted mayor of Houston.

 “I know what this win means to many of us who never thought we could achieve  high office,” she told an energetic crowd of supporters in Houston Saturday night.
 
 In her victory speech, and a message posted on her website Saturday night, Parker  added: “This election has changed the world for lesbian, gay, bisexual and  transgender communities, just as this election is about transforming Houstonians’  lives for the better.”

I am so excited about this, especially considering the homophobic attacks that her campaign had to endure. But in the end, the voters of Houston, Texas knew who they wanted for mayor, and they’re weren’t going to let the hateful scare tactics about the fact that Annise Parker is a lesbian stop them.

Many Houston residents received mailers leading up to the election from “longtime anti-gay activist” Dave Wilson with messages such as:

 On December 12, we can stand up and fight for the Traditional Family and  marriage (one man one woman) or allow the radical homosexual activists (with  their out of state money) elect a lesbian for mayor.

And, along with a 2004 picture of Parker being sworn in as Controller, with her partner of nearly 20 years, Kathy Hubbard:

 Is this the image Houston wants to portray?” On the back is written, “Just because  Annise Parker is a lesbian doesn’t make her qualified to be mayor of Houston.”

And, this ridiculous message. (Do they know that the M word they’re voting for is Mayor, not Marriage?)

But it wasn’t enough. This time, the homophobes didn’t win!

From CNN:

 "Houston is a multiracial, multicultural, international city. And I think my election  will send a message to the world that Houston is a city that might surprise a lot of  folks," Parker said before the runoff.
...

 "I have always stood up for the fact that I am gay. It's part of the resume that I  bring to the table, but it's just a piece of the package," she said.
...

 "There's a certain segment of Houston, there's a certain segment of society that has  problems with the issues around sexual orientation," Parker said. "But the citizens  of Houston have elected me six consecutive times to public office. They know  me, they trust me.”

Congratulations, Ms. Parker!!!


~ Samantha