Former Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank believes the gay rights movement was fueled by people coming out.
Frank, who has the distinction of being the first openly gay member of Congress and the first to enter a marriage with a member of the same sex, on Sunday appeared on Meet the Press to promote his new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage.
"Well, I tell you, our reality as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people beat the prejudice," Frank told host Chuck Todd. "I mean, the central mechanism is that we stopped hiding. And it turns out we weren't what the stereotype was. But clearly, there was a point when the notion that I could get married to Jim while I was still in Congress would've been the most bizarre possibility."
"I remember the time I got married, someone said, 'Well, would it be controversial if you got married while you were still in Congress?' And the answer was, yes it was.A lot of my colleagues were mad that they didn't get invited. So our reality is that."
Frank married Jim Ready in 2012.
Editor's Note: Join Center on Halsted, The Book Stall and Equality Illinois as they welcome Barney Frank and hear him speak about his new memoir at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, on Wednesday, March 25. (Event details)
Frank, who has the distinction of being the first openly gay member of Congress and the first to enter a marriage with a member of the same sex, on Sunday appeared on Meet the Press to promote his new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage.
"Well, I tell you, our reality as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people beat the prejudice," Frank told host Chuck Todd. "I mean, the central mechanism is that we stopped hiding. And it turns out we weren't what the stereotype was. But clearly, there was a point when the notion that I could get married to Jim while I was still in Congress would've been the most bizarre possibility."
"I remember the time I got married, someone said, 'Well, would it be controversial if you got married while you were still in Congress?' And the answer was, yes it was.A lot of my colleagues were mad that they didn't get invited. So our reality is that."
Frank married Jim Ready in 2012.
Editor's Note: Join Center on Halsted, The Book Stall and Equality Illinois as they welcome Barney Frank and hear him speak about his new memoir at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, on Wednesday, March 25. (Event details)
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine
