From Day One, I Have Always Been

When I First Ran For Congress In 1998, People Counted Me Out.

I Have No Idea What Goes On In Another Person's Mind. As A Legislator, I Need To Be Good At Persuading People, Counting Votes And Getting To 50 Percent Plus One. I Don't Go Back And Say, 'why Did This Person Get To The Right Position?' It's Only, 'are You Yes Or Are You No?

Remember, There Are Two Things That Keep Us Oppressed: Them And Us. We Are Half Of The Equation. There Will Not Be A Magic Day When We Wake Up And It's Now Ok To Express Ourselves Publicly. We Must Make That Day Ourselves, By Speaking Out Publicly -- First In Small Numbers, Then In Greater Numbers, Until It's Simply The Way Things Are And No One Thinks Twice. Never Doubt That We Will Create This World, Because, My Friends, We Are Fortunate To Live In A Democracy, And In A Democracy, We Decide What's Possible.

In My Grandfather's Lab, Scientists Did Independent Research, And Peers Reviewed And Commented On Its Merits. Politics, He Taught Me, Had No Place In The Scientific Process.

From Day One, I Have Always Been Open About My Sexual Orientation.