Arizona State Senator Steve Gallardo on
Wednesday announced that he's gay.
“I wanted to let everyone know I am
gay, I'm a Latino and I'm a state senator and it's okay,” Gallardo
told reporters.
The 45-year-old Gallardo was a vocal
critic of a bill which opponents said would allow individuals and
businesses to discriminate against gay people on the basis of their
religious beliefs. Last week, Republican Governor Jan Brewer vetoed
the bill after a loud outcry from politicians, corporate leaders and
activists.
“In the middle of that discussion, it
dawned on me that this bill affects me directly, and seeing all the
people come to the Capitol protesting and rallying around this bill
solidified my thought and that it's time for me to stand up and say,
'This is who I am,'” Gallardo is quoted as saying by the
AP.
In a message on Twitter, he said that
he had received a call from Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and thanked
him for his “kind words.”
Gallardo, a Democrat, is currently
campaigning for the U.S. House.