takes a great deal of energy. Coming out will make you a much more productive member in society because you won’t have to worry about who you are, or create a person that you’re not. Seek out family members and friends who will support you being gay or lesbian. I also want LGBT youth to know, that you will find a family that will support your life, whether they are traditional or an alternative family that you create. In the HRC study bullying was a major concern for LGBT youth. Is there any federal legislation on the table or that has recently passed congress that will address bullying in K-12 and higher education institutions receiving federal dollars? This is a complicated question, school policy is determined by each state and
also on the local school board level. We need to start there. Society allows teens to mistreat each other, we would not tolerate this behavior in adults. We must look for and address bullying at younger ages and try to curb it before it gets out of control. You were the first member of the House of Representatives to come out on your own terms. Why did you decide to come out of the closet? To me my life was unacceptable, I wanted to live life on my own terms and that
meant being the person I am. I felt I was hiding. When you announced you were gay, how were you treated by the other members of Congress? I was pleasantly surprised and welcomed with open arms by members of both
parties. With the exception of Dan Burton (R-Indiana), who refused to use the House gym after I announced I was gay because he thought he would catch HIV or something from me. The funny thing about the whole situation was that we had
worked out in the same gym for five years before I announced I was gay. Do you have a story from the campaign trail you that wish to share? Yes—Republican John Soto was running against me and during the campaign
he demanded that I take an HIV test; I told him that I would be happy to, as soon as he took an IQ test. You announced after serving 16 terms that you’re not going to seek reelection. What do you hope your legacy will be? What was your greatest accomplishment? I am most proud of the financial reform bill; I hope I leave a legacy that makes life
fairer for all Americans. I hope that I helped all Americans gain equality not just the LGBT community. What are your plans for retirement? I plan to write, lecture, to marry my partner Jim Ready and continue to work on
equality issues as a private citizen. I wish you and your partner many years of continued happiness.
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts 4th congressional
district and has been since January 1981. He is the former chairmen of the House Financial Services Committee (2007-2011) and is currently the ranking Democrat. He is the first congressman to come out voluntarily and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the U.S. He plans to retire in 2013 after serving for 32 years. To find out more about the Human Rights Campaign or the LGBT Youth Survey go to hrc. org. For more information on Congressman Barney Frank go to
frank.house.gov.
JULY 2012 | RAGE monthly 51
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