Harvard forum examines role of LGBT elected officials

by Ethan Jacobs
Bay Windows

An April 22 Harvard forum aimed at examining the viability of LGBT political candidates veered off-topic into a broader discussion of the role of LGBT officials in public life, as one Harvard student questioned whether openly gay elected officials weren’t better off leaving gay advocacy to straight allies and another suggested that some local openly gay electeds weren’t visible enough.

Speakers at the forum, which was sponsored by the Harvard College LGBT Political Coalition, included former state senator Jarrett Barrios, Rep. Liz Malia (D-Boston), Connecticut state Rep. Jason Bartlett (D-Bethel), AIDS Action Committee Director of Public Relations and External Affairs Diego Sanchez, and Democratic fundraiser Nancy Korman.

Clayton Brooks, a Harvard student and moderator of the discussion, asked the panel whether it was more important to have openly LGBT lawmakers advocating on behalf of the LGBT community or to have straight allies speak out on LGBT issues. He said he imagined that LGBT lawmakers would be reticent about focusing the majority of their political work on LGBT advocacy.

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