Voice for Equality: Barney Frank

Barney Frank is not only widely-acknowledged to be one of the most powerful members of the U.S. Congress but arguably the most prominent gay American politician to date. He is currently serving his fourteenth term representing Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district, which includes his home of Newton, Massachusetts. Barney was educated at Harvard University and initially also sought his Ph.D. there before withdrawing to serve as the chief assistant to the Mayor of Boston. In 1972, Frank was first elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and earned his law degree while serving in that office. In 1980, Barney was first elected to the U.S. Congress.

Congressman Frank is perhaps the most outspoken elected federal official on LGBT civil rights issues. In 1987, Frank publicly came out as gay and in 1998, he founded the National Stonewall Democrats, the national LGBT organization of the Democratic Party. He maintains a high profile nationally thanks to his leadership as Chairman of the house Financial Services Committee and appears frequently in the media speaking out in favor of marriage equality.

In response to California’s Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex couples to marry, Congressman Franks said:

"I congratulate California's Supreme Court for recognizing that all of California's citizens are entitled to basic civil rights; and I can assure the people of the state that the result of this decision will be to improve the quality of life of tens of thousands of Californians who will now be able legally to express their love for each other, while having no negative effect whatsoever on the overwhelming majority of Californians who will choose not to marry someone of the same sex."

Freedom to Marry salutes Congressman Barney Franks as a Voice for Equality!

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