Stefany Hoyer Hemmer, the daughter of
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, has come out lesbian.
Hemmer told gay weekly the Washington
Blade: “My father, as you know, just came out in support of
gay marriage. I'm 43 years of age, and I've been gay my whole life
and I just figured this is a good time to lend my name to the cause.”
Maryland voters in November will decide
whether to uphold or reject a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers
in March.
“The momentum in Maryland right now
for the adoption of the gay marriage law is fast-paced,” Hemmer
said.
In announcing his support for equal
marriage rights, Hoyer compared gay marriage bans to now defunct
anti-miscegenation laws.
“One of the first votes I cast as a
member of the Maryland State Senate in 1967 was to repeal the
anti-miscegenation statute that remained Maryland law,” Hoyer said
in a statement. “It was my feeling then and now that individuals
have a right to choose their partners, and society must accord them
that freedom.”
Hemmer added that her father's
endorsement inspired her to come out: “I was not the impetus for
him; he was the impetus for me.”