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Georgia State Rep. Rashad Taylor Comes Out: "I Am a Gay Man"

A Georgia state lawmaker has come out as a gay man after being outed in emails to legislators—and accused of misusing his office. Rashad Taylor becomes the first openly gay man and third openly gay or lesbian  legislator in Georgia. Taylor is also becomes one of the very few Black openly gay state legislators in the country.

"I am a gay man," said Taylor at a press conference to address the allegations, reports WSB.

[The email was] sent to dozens of current and former lawmakers detailing these allegations. In the letter, Taylor is accused of meeting men and promising them jobs for sex, and has “use comp tickets and state funds to fund his homosexual relationship.” "As a powerful member of your house he is not using his office for the common good of his constituents but his using his office to promote his own homosexual agenda," the letter continues. The email is signed by 'J Callahan, Concerned Citizen of Georgia.'

[T]he lawmaker denied the allegations ... A source in the Georgia House of Representatives [said] the accuser contacted their offices last week requesting information on how to file an ethics complaint, but no ethics complaint has been filed.

The GA Voice reports the email outing was orchestrated by the ex-boyfriend of Taylor's current partner.

Taylor denied those allegations today, but did say the truth is is he is gay. "For some days it may take two days, for some it take two years or 20 years [to come out]," he said. "I serve in public office and try to retain some semblence of a private life. This is a journey I've been on," he said. "i wouldn't want to expedite anyone else's journey. It ought to be a personal decision."

Taylor was flanked by his mother, who hugged him tightly after he spoke to the media. Also with Taylor today as he came out were several family members, State Rep. Alisha Morgan; State Sen. Vincent Fort; Reese McCranie, the openly gay spokesperson for Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed; Larry Pellegrini, the openly gay executive director of the Georgia Rural Urban Summit; and Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham.

The Democrat was elected in 2008 and represents Atlanta and portions of Fulton County. Taylor is the youngest member of the Georgia General Assembly. He turned 30 years old only two weeks ago.

Rashad Taylor becomes one of only a handful of Black openly LGBT state lawmakers. Connecticut's Jason Bartlett was the very first and  served from 2007 to 2011. Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox and North Carolina's Marcus Brandon are the two Black gay male legislators currently serving.

Georgia's Simone Bell became the first openly lesbian black state legislator in U.S. history. Maryland's Mary Washington became the second in 2010.

Atlanta has become a nexus for Black LGBT politics. In 2010, the Victory Fund-endorsed Joan P. Garner became the first openly LGBT member of the powerful Fulton County Commission.

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WATCH: NBJC's Sharon Lettman Hicks on State of Black Gay America

The fabulous straight ally Sharon Lettman-Hicks, the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, was the keynote speaker at the State of Black Gay America summit in Atlanta last weekend. Black LGBTs need a Black LGBT agenda, Lettman-Hicks told the audience.

"Black gay people are Black people first. Whether you are gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, questioning ... you are still Black first. So when we speak of  'our' people, we need to think of our entire community and bringing LGBT issues to the Black community. We need to create a Black LGBT agenda to move the bully pulpit forward."

Can I get an amen?

Other SBGA panelists included Joan P. Garner, who just became the first openly LGBT official elected to the Fulton County Commission;  Simone Bell, who was elected the first openly lesbian black state legislator in U.S. history; filmmaker Maurice Jamal; and athlete-model-actor Demarco Majors.

There is a gallery of photos HERE. Via the GAVoice, watch the video AFTER THE JUMP ...

Joan Garner Elected 1st Openly Gay Member of Fulton Co. Commission

History is made in Atlanta as the Victory Fund-endorsed Joan P. Garner, an openly lesbian African-American, won her run-off election for a seat on the Fulton County Commission. Because no Republican or independent candidates qualified for the November ballot, Garner effectively becomes the first openly LGBT member of the commission.

Garner will represent District 6, which is downtown Atlanta. Garner won 64% of the vote against 36% for challenger Keisha Waites, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  "I am both humbled and honored that my friends and neighbors in District 6 gave me their vote of confidence," Garner said last night. "I look forward to serving as their voice in the Fulton County government."

Garner boasts more than two decades in politics and non-profits, most recently serving as president and CEO of the Historic District Development Corporation, a nonprofit that facilitates the preservation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic District.  "Garner also served on the transition team of Mayor Maynard Jackson, who later appointed her as a senior advisor on gay and lesbian issues," writes Project Q Atlanta. "That appointment was the first high-level LGBT position created by an Atlanta mayor. "

The District 6 race was historical in more ways than one: Joan Garner and Keisha Waites are both openly lesbian Black women. But the LGBT vote did not split, reports Georgia Voice. "While Waites won the endorsement of the Atlanta Eagle, after helping the sister of one of the gay bar’s owners, Garner had the solid support of all three LGBT political groups that made endorsements in the race: Georgia Equality, Atlanta Stonewall Democrats and the Victory Fund, a national group that backs qualified LGBT candidates." Garner also had the support of the AFL-CIO.

Waites, who has unsuccessfully run for office seven times since 2001, "avoided interviews with gay media outlets... and has yet to spell out where she stands on specific LGBT issues." In contrast, Garner supports all LGBT platform issues, such as a statewide hate crimes law, workplace non-discrimination protections, repealing the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and gay adoptions.

Atlanta, which is often called the 'Black Gay Mecca',  is becoming a powerhouse for Black openly lesbian political candidates. Last December, Simone Bell was elected the first openly lesbian black state legislator in U.S. history. In 1999, Kecia Cunningham was elected Decatur City Commissioner and became the first  Black openly gay elected official in Georgia.

East Point, GA Approves Anti-Bias Protections for LGBT Employees

Very good news to report from East Point, Georgia, an overwhelmingly black suburb adjacent to southwestern Atlanta. The city of approximately 40,000 joins only "a handful" of other Georgia municipalities to adopt protections for gay and transgender employees. The ordinance was supported by East Point's mayor pro tem, an influential black minister who once opposed gay rights, reports the Journal Constitution.

The local law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is almost an afterthought in a city that has offered same-sex domestic partner benefits for employees since 2005. The city charter also includes a Bill of Rights section that says the city will not adopt any laws that intentionally discriminate against gays and lesbians. In recent years, the city has gained a reputation as gay-friendly, which has led to some conflicts in and out of City Hall. The domestic partner benefit, for instance, won on a 4-3 vote. Councilman Greg Fann was among those who cast dissenting votes in 2005 on the domestic partner benefit. This week, one of his last votes on the council was to approve the nondiscrimination policy. Fann, a minister at Liberty International Church, said he supported the latest measure out of a sense of fairness. "My religious values do not afford me to agree with an alternative lifestyle, but that does not mean you can discriminate against someone for that lifestyle," Fann said. "I do not believe in discrimination, period."

The ordinance was introduced by openly gay councilman Lance Rhodes. The unanimous vote comres only a month after two openly gay candidates posted strong showings in City Council elections, though not enough to win office. One of the candidates, Eric Morrow, would have become the first black openly gay elected official in Georgia. That distinction went to Simone Bell, who, on the same day,  became the first openly lesbian black state legislator in U.S. history.

Only last month, Chamblee joined Atlanta, Clarkston, Decatur and Doraville in prohibiting discrimination against gay employees. In addition to East Point, only Atlanta, Decatur and Doraville extend protections to transgender workers.

Congratulations to East Point and  Rev. Gregory Fann for choosing equality.

Simone Bell Elected First Black, Lesbian State Legislator

History is made in Georgia. Simone Bell becomes the first openly lesbian black state legislator in U.S. history.

Bell won Tuesday's runoff election to represent Georgia State House District 58, which is eastern Atlanta in DeKalb and Fulton Counties. She becomes the second openly LGBT member of the Georgia State House, joining Rep. Karla Drenner. Both are from the Atlanta area.

Atlanta voters also elected Alex Wan, the city’s first gay man, and first Asian-American, to the city council.

The election of a black lesbian legislator in a conservative state that passed a constitutional ban on gay marriage in 2006 is quite significant. "This is a tremendous victory for LGBT Georgians. Simone is a longtime leader in her community, and she will be a huge asset in the Georgia State House,” says Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which supported Bell's campaign.

For two decades, Bell has worked as a progressive activist and community organizer in Atlanta and across the South. Bell says her top priorities are education and transportation. On LGBT issues, Bell says: "We don’t have a lot of votes in the state legislature to do any progressive work, but in terms of being on the offense, I plan to work with the movable middle to work on making Georgia a better place." The newly-elected legislator adds: "And I will fight hard against any legislation to take rights away from us on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Bravo and congratulations to Simone Bell.