Lesbian Georgia legislator, first LGBTQ+ person elected in the South, is still showing up 25 years later

"On the second Saturday in October, during National Coming Out Day, from morning into afternoon, the smell of espresso and the low murmur of conversation filled Joe's Coffee Shop in East Atlanta Village. At a corner table, state Rep. Karla Drenner greeted familiar faces and discussed what it means to stay visible and keep showing up. "I didn't run to be the first," she told The Advocate in an interview at the café."

"When Drenner, now 64, was first elected to office in 2000, she made history as the first LGBTQ+ person elected to any state legislature in the American South. A Democrat representing parts of DeKalb County, in a district she notes includes 27 Baptist churches and is nearly 80 percent Black, she's now in her 13th term and is Georgia's longest-serving out LGBTQ+ elected official."

Karla Drenner met constituents at a coffee shop on National Coming Out Day and emphasized the power of staying visible. She said she ran to be a good representative rather than to be the first. Elected in 2000, she became the first openly LGBTQ+ person in any state legislature in the American South. She represents parts of DeKalb County, a district containing 27 Baptist churches and nearly 80 percent Black residents. Now in her 13th term, she stands as Georgia's longest-serving out LGBTQ+ elected official. She recalled being told she "wasn't worthy of being known" and later receiving an apology, illustrating that persistent presence can change hearts and turn opponents into partners.

Read at Advocate.com