Gay Politics points out that Alaska and South Dakota are the only states in the U.S. lacking openly LGBT elected officials. Is it just because the states lack LGBT legal protections or something else?
Let’s start by looking at each state’s legal protections for LGBTs:
Alaska banned marriage equality, civil unions and domestic partnerships in 1998; has no statewide discrimination protections for LGBT employees; lacks legal recognition for non-biological parents in same-sex couples and has no hate crime laws for gender identity or sexual orientation. The state ranked 25th in the Human Rights Campaign 2009 measure of states’ LGBT rights.
South Dakota banned marriage equality, civil unions and domestic partnerships in 2006; their state employment, public services, public accommodations, housing protections and hate crime laws do not include sexual orientation and gender identity. The state tied with six others from 39th to 45th in the HRC’s 2009 state ranking on LGBT rights.
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But while the states’ equal rights records may not shine, the lack of openly LGBT officials could also be due to the fact that both states are red states, with Gallup ranking South Dakota as the fourth most conservative state.
But take hope! After all, Mississippi just joined the list of states with openly LGBT elected officials when Southhaven mayor Greg David got caught buying toys at a gay sex shop. So it could be that SD and AK are just one sex scandal away from finally having an openly LGBT office holder of their own.
christopher di spirito
Because they’re Alaska and South Dakota.
Big Mac
I wasn’t aware there was a quota system in place for hiring us. Guess I was absent that day.
Cinesnatch
They’re also two of the least populous states.
Hey, Daniel, did you do any research to see if those two states have filled their quota on blacks, Hispanics, Asians, the handicapped, etc? I’m sure you did and just failed to mention that those states have filled their quota on every minority except LGBT, because it goes without saying. I know this, because I know Daniel is responsible and does his research before he publishes anything.
/sarcasm
Tyler
Another winner from Daniel. Your thoroughness in research and dedication to quality continues to shine through.
Also sarcasm.
Your articles are a joke. I wonder if you (or anyone) reads them before they are published.
GayGOP
I pose the question as to why gays, or indeed anybody, would want to move to a place like South Dakota, or Alaska. That’s whey there are not out politicians in those states, I suspect, i.e. because people do not want to move there.
NovaNardis
Doesn’t PA also lack LGBT representation in its state leg?
Andy
As a homogay dude living in South Dakota, I can tell you that we have in fact had LGBT representation in the state legislature. There was actually a lesbian couple who succeeded each other in the state house. I campaigned for them. It’s just that neither of them is currently serving in government. That being said, the director of Equality South Dakota was elected to the state senate in 2010. She is straight, but that goes to show that the LGBT population of SD is not completely voiceless in the lege.
Ohhhhhhh no.
Why doesn’t Queerty have anyone smart writing for them?
trevor bartlet
Because it just doesn’t matter one way or the other.