The First Openly LGBT Cabinet Member?

by Michael Jones · 2008-12-11 19:42:00 UTC
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Mary Beth MaxwellSo what are you doing next week between December 17-19?  How about planning to call the Obama transition team as part of a nationwide push to encourage President-Elect Obama to select Mary Beth Maxwell as Secretary of Labor?

Maxwell, the founding Executive Director of American Rights at Work, is supposedly being considered for Obama's Secretary of Labor.  Her appointment would be historic, because as an openly gay woman, Maxwell would become the first ever LGBT cabinet member.

This week, a Facebook group launched calling for the nationwide days of action next week to urge Obama to appoint Maxwell to the post.  A complementary Web site, www.equalrep.com, also launched to support Maxwell.

This goes well  beyond the fact that she's a lesbian.  Maxwell is seen as one of the most qualified candidates for the job, hands down.  She's got the full support of former Rep. David Bonior, a Michigan Democrat and former Presidential campaign manager for Sen. John Edwards, as well as support from the AFL-CIO, the Change to Win Federation, the CEO and President of American Income Life Insurance, and the Human Rights Campaign, to name a few.

Check out the Facebook group, and next week plan on giving the Obama administration a nudge by voicing your support for Maxwell.  Here's hoping she makes history.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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