North Carolina state Representative
Cecil Brockman has come out bisexual, making him only the second out
legislator in the General Assembly.
Brockman told The News & Record
that he was motivated to come out following an altercation in a
restaurant with a homophobic drunk.
The incident occurred while he ate
dinner with state Rep. Chris Sgro, the state's only openly gay
legislator, and his partner. Sgro is not seeking re-election.
The local paper reported that the man,
who wanted to know whether Brockman was also gay, made such a
“homophobic and obscene” scene that management asked him to
leave.
“I don’t necessarily live that
life,” Brockman
said. “I don’t wear it on my sleeve. I can live in the
straight world and not be identified.”
“I really want young people to know
that you can be a member of the LGBT community, and it’s OK,” he
added. “You can run for public office and serve honorably. You
don’t have to let anyone put you in a box.”
Brockman also criticized passage of
House Bill 2, the nation's first and only law that prohibits
transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice in
government buildings and public schools. It also blocks cities and
municipalities from enacting LGBT protections.
“Discrimination against folks in the
LGBT community has become legal,” Brockman said about the law.
“You should be able to be who you are and love who you are and not
be afraid to go out and feel like someone will harass you.”