Headlines from the Granite State
HRC trailblazer
The Human Rights Campaign honored several leading out and proud candidates running for office in this past year. Along with many emerging leaders across the country, HRC included a select few of their “previously endorsed trailblazers” in the line-up of 2020 honorees, and US Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire is one of them.
Pappas is the first openly LGBTQ person elected to Congress from New Hampshire and serves as cochair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, among numerous Congressional committees. Elected in 2018, he won again in 2020.
“Chris Pappas is one of our community’s fiercest allies in Congress,” HRC National Press Secretary Lucas Acosta told WMUR-TV 9, which noted that Pappas’s “presence in the House means the LGBT community ‘has a seat at every table because every issue impacts our community.’”
“HRC has been leading the way for LGBTQ Americans and our fight for equal rights,” Pappas stated in HRC’s announcement. “The House made history last year when we passed the Equality Act and I look forward to working with HRC to ensure that it is passed and signed into law so that no individual will be a second-class citizen because of who they are or who they love.”
“Everyone deserves to be able to live their truth,” he said, “and working with HRC we can realize a brighter future for all Americans.”
State senate first
Also on Nov. 3, former Portsmouth City Councilor Rebecca Perkins Kwoka became the first openly LGBTQ woman elected to the New Hampshire Senate. Voters in Perkins Kwoka’s district—which encompasses Durham, Lee, Madbury, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket and Portsmouth—overwhelming supported her, giving her 66.92% of the vote.
In July, Perkins Kwoka received major endorsements from the national political action committees LPAC and EMILY’s List.
More Nov. 3 winners
In addition to Pappas, out, proud Granite State winners of the Nov. 3 election include incumbent State Reps Joe Alexander Jr. (Hillsborough 6), Lisa Bunker (Rockingham 18), Gerri Cannon (Strafford 18), Jim MacKay (Merrimack 14), Sue Mullen (Hillsborough 7), Andrew O’Hearne (Sullivan 7), Joshua Query (Hillsborough 16), Linda Tanner (Sullivan 9) and Joyce Weston (Grafton 8).
Buckling to pressure
Under pressure from the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR), Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire, has rescinded its policy of inclusion for transgender athletes.
As Outsports reports, “The catalyst for this action stemmed from a complaint to the OCR filed by Concerned Women for America, a Washington, D.C.-based Christian, anti-feminist, anti-LGBTQ organization. According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, the complaint was filed in 2019 after FPU track and field student athlete Cecé Telfer, a transgender woman, won the 400-meter hurdles in the NCAA Division II outdoor national championship meet. Telfer is the first transgender student athlete to win an individual track and field NCAA championship.”
Support for parents
Seacoast Outright, an LGBTQ+ youth support service provider, reminds adults that part of supporting LGBTQ+ youth is making sure their own support networks have the support and information they need. With that in mind, they offer ongoing opportunities for parents of LGBTQ+ youth to connect in a supportive and casual setting. For details, go to seacoastoutright.org and click on Services.
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