Brian Sims

But for months of my life in my early 20s, after 22 years in the closet, my closest friends really wanted me to know how important I was in their lives, how close we all were. I, in the years that followed, when I was first getting into LGBTQ civil rights, I often would say, I want everybody's experience to be like mine.

But for months of my life in my early 20s, after 22 years in the closet, my closest friends really wanted me to know how important I was in their lives, how close we all were. I, in the years that followed, when I was first getting into LGBTQ civil rights, I often would say, I want everybody's experience to be like mine.

Yes, I was still in the closet and I heard I was an athlete and I heard lots and lots of awful things in my teens. And I, yes, I had lots of insecurities. But when I did finally come out, I did so to the support and love and kindness of a bunch of people who often, who I even now joke, they didn't know how to offer love and support and kindness, but they did in their own ways.

Yes, I was still in the closet and I heard I was an athlete and I heard lots and lots of awful things in my teens. And I, yes, I had lots of insecurities. But when I did finally come out, I did so to the support and love and kindness of a bunch of people who often, who I even now joke, they didn't know how to offer love and support and kindness, but they did in their own ways.

And these are people that I'm still close with 25 years later because of it.

And these are people that I'm still close with 25 years later because of it.

I sure hope so. I sure hope so. I believe that. I have a plaque that my parents gave me when I was 22 years old. When I got into law school, they mailed me this plaque. And there's a quote by one of our former presidents, and it's about law and human rights and kindness. But my parents bought it when I was maybe 12 years old. They waited 10 years to give it to me.

I sure hope so. I sure hope so. I believe that. I have a plaque that my parents gave me when I was 22 years old. When I got into law school, they mailed me this plaque. And there's a quote by one of our former presidents, and it's about law and human rights and kindness. But my parents bought it when I was maybe 12 years old. They waited 10 years to give it to me.

And I knew from a very young age, I told people I was going to be a feminist lawyer. As a little kid, that was the job. Some people wanted to be a firefighter or an astronaut. As I got older, I learned that I meant women's and reproductive rights and civil rights. And I meant access and agency and autonomy. But at the time, I knew what feminism was and I knew I wanted to be an attorney.

And I knew from a very young age, I told people I was going to be a feminist lawyer. As a little kid, that was the job. Some people wanted to be a firefighter or an astronaut. As I got older, I learned that I meant women's and reproductive rights and civil rights. And I meant access and agency and autonomy. But at the time, I knew what feminism was and I knew I wanted to be an attorney.

I took my entrance exams to law school when I was 16 years old the first time. long before college. And it was just, I knew I wanted to be a feminist lawyer. And when I finally got to law school months after I came out of the closet, it had already begun my approach to what I wanted to do. It already changed a little bit.

I took my entrance exams to law school when I was 16 years old the first time. long before college. And it was just, I knew I wanted to be a feminist lawyer. And when I finally got to law school months after I came out of the closet, it had already begun my approach to what I wanted to do. It already changed a little bit.

I was doing international law, largely international human rights law, mostly European Union and South American law, along with what I was doing, having to learn all the laws of the United States. And I think the language that I learned in feminism

I was doing international law, largely international human rights law, mostly European Union and South American law, along with what I was doing, having to learn all the laws of the United States. And I think the language that I learned in feminism

The approach to equality that I learned through feminism, luckily for me, was then the lens that I got to look upon myself when I finally came out of the closet. When I fully realized that I was a gay man, I had five, six, seven years of the language of feminism to help me see myself through that lens. It was a savior. And it just reinforced that I wanted to do that work professionally.

The approach to equality that I learned through feminism, luckily for me, was then the lens that I got to look upon myself when I finally came out of the closet. When I fully realized that I was a gay man, I had five, six, seven years of the language of feminism to help me see myself through that lens. It was a savior. And it just reinforced that I wanted to do that work professionally.

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,