Brian Sims

It felt like a big responsibility, no question. All of us have had big responsibilities in our lives, and some of them we recognized in the moment, some of them we recognized in hindsight. I was very aware from the moment I won my election until I took office eight months or so later that I was the out person there. Now, I served with over a dozen closeted elected officials.

It felt like a big responsibility, no question. All of us have had big responsibilities in our lives, and some of them we recognized in the moment, some of them we recognized in hindsight. I was very aware from the moment I won my election until I took office eight months or so later that I was the out person there. Now, I served with over a dozen closeted elected officials.

Almost all of whom, 90%, 80%, were supportive of anti-LGBTQ bills. It wasn't just that they were not out. It's that they were actively hurting the community. And so I knew I needed to focus on them first, which I did do. But to answer your question...

Almost all of whom, 90%, 80%, were supportive of anti-LGBTQ bills. It wasn't just that they were not out. It's that they were actively hurting the community. And so I knew I needed to focus on them first, which I did do. But to answer your question...

What I remember thinking at the time was, I've learned to be the advocate I am that just got me elected because of my work with women's and reproductive rights and racial and ethnic justice. Two things that need lots of work still in our capital. And I look just like the people who attack women's rights and racial and ethnic justice.

What I remember thinking at the time was, I've learned to be the advocate I am that just got me elected because of my work with women's and reproductive rights and racial and ethnic justice. Two things that need lots of work still in our capital. And I look just like the people who attack women's rights and racial and ethnic justice.

And so I decided that my first term, especially my first year, everyone knew I was LGBTQ. Everyone knew I was an LGBTQ activist. There were a couple of really bad moments. I'd been shut down on the House floor from speaking because of it. I'd been discriminated against in front of my colleagues a few times. And...

And so I decided that my first term, especially my first year, everyone knew I was LGBTQ. Everyone knew I was an LGBTQ activist. There were a couple of really bad moments. I'd been shut down on the House floor from speaking because of it. I'd been discriminated against in front of my colleagues a few times. And...

Myself and my staff and my team, we decided to use that attention to show people what an ally looked like. I introduced a whole bunch of women's rights bills. I signed on to every women's rights bill. I introduced a bunch of ethnic intimidation act bills and a bunch of racial and ethnic justice bills to show people, yes, I am gay.

Myself and my staff and my team, we decided to use that attention to show people what an ally looked like. I introduced a whole bunch of women's rights bills. I signed on to every women's rights bill. I introduced a bunch of ethnic intimidation act bills and a bunch of racial and ethnic justice bills to show people, yes, I am gay.

Yes, that's a part of the reason I was elected here and it informs the work I do. But I can introduce these bills and show you why that matters. And hopefully you will understand why the things that impact my life matter. And it did have that effect, which I was grateful for. I'll give you a really good example.

Yes, that's a part of the reason I was elected here and it informs the work I do. But I can introduce these bills and show you why that matters. And hopefully you will understand why the things that impact my life matter. And it did have that effect, which I was grateful for. I'll give you a really good example.

Very early on in my first term, before I had ever spoken on the House floor, there was a good ruling from the Supreme Court came down about marriage equality for LGBTQ people.

Very early on in my first term, before I had ever spoken on the House floor, there was a good ruling from the Supreme Court came down about marriage equality for LGBTQ people.

And at the end of session that day, at the end of our legislative session, a couple months into my first term, there's a moment where legislators get to stand up and talk about major events and how they will impact law and policy. And I rose to speak about that. And I got a half a word out and my microphone was cut. And I didn't know it at the time. I actually, I thought I like broke it.

And at the end of session that day, at the end of our legislative session, a couple months into my first term, there's a moment where legislators get to stand up and talk about major events and how they will impact law and policy. And I rose to speak about that. And I got a half a word out and my microphone was cut. And I didn't know it at the time. I actually, I thought I like broke it.

But the person who controls the microphone is the speaker of the house. The person who had just given me the opportunity to speak, as soon as I did, he just pressed a button and cut my mic. And it was because someone in the audience had objected. Another one of my colleagues had objected to me speaking, but they wouldn't identify themselves. And all of this was new to me at the time.

But the person who controls the microphone is the speaker of the house. The person who had just given me the opportunity to speak, as soon as I did, he just pressed a button and cut my mic. And it was because someone in the audience had objected. Another one of my colleagues had objected to me speaking, but they wouldn't identify themselves. And all of this was new to me at the time.

But my colleagues, especially my Democratic colleagues who were new to me and I was new to them, they were furious. And a couple of them tried to get up and speak and they were all cut off. And it created this big hubbub. And when it was all said and done, I wasn't allowed to speak.

But my colleagues, especially my Democratic colleagues who were new to me and I was new to them, they were furious. And a couple of them tried to get up and speak and they were all cut off. And it created this big hubbub. And when it was all said and done, I wasn't allowed to speak.