Allan Spear—one of the first out elected officials in the nation and the first openly gay legislator in Minnesota—died Oct. 11 at 71 following heart surgery, according to the Associated Press. Spear, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, came out in 1974 to the Minneapolis Star. In a release, Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said, ‘Spear’s courageous decision to come out inspired both LGBT and straight Americans, and today, openly LGBT individuals running and winning elected office across the country can walk on the road that he paved.’ Image: Allan Spear photo taken Aug. in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Bill Kelley
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama issued a press release marking the decade since Matthew Shepard was murdered in Wyoming. Part of the release stated, ‘ [W] e pause to remember the heartbreaking and senseless murder of Matthew Shepard. A freshman at the University of Wyoming, Matthew was a young man committed to fighting for equality and changing the world around him. He was tragically taken from us far too early, an innocent victim of an abhorrent hate crime, and never had the chance to see his dreams realized.’