The Rainbow MinuteThe Rainbow Minute
Friday, December 2, 2011
“On This Day in History"
December 2, 1997 – Republican David Catania becomes the first openly-gay person elected to the Washington D.C. city council.
At the time, he was one of a very small number of openly-gay Republican officeholders in the country.
Raised in a family of Lincoln Republicans, Catania was elected Youth governor of Missouri in 1985.
Displeased with the party on urban and social issues, he became an Independent. He was re-elected in 2006.
In October of 2009, as a D.C. council member, Catania was the main author of a measure to allow same-sex marriage in the District. He said, “Equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians is a matter of basic fairness. I am pleased that the District continues to be a leader on respecting the human and civil rights of our citizens.”
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