A judge in Georgia has come out
bisexual, making him the state's first openly LGBT trial judge.
DeKalb County State Court Judge Mike
Jacobs previously served 10 years in the Georgia House as a
Republican. He's served on the bench since 2015.
Last month, Jacobs shared a photo on
Twitter of himself and his wife as they attended an event organized
by the Stonewall Bar Association, a group that represents LGBT
attorneys and judges.
On Tuesday, Jacobs came out in a
statement given to Project Q Atlanta.
“My wife Evan and I have made a
mutual decision that it would be a positive step for me to come out,
and she proudly stood with me at the Stonewall Bar event,” Jacobs
wrote.
"I see LGBTQ citizens in my
courtroom on a regular basis, particularly as prospective jurors, and
in other courtrooms as well. DeKalb County has never had a trial
judge who openly identifies as LGBTQ. This is something I can change
simply by sharing this part of who I am with the public.”
“I am hopeful the decision Evan and I
have made will help others. Coming out, or at least knowing there
are others like us, is just as affirming and significant for bi
people as it is for other members of the LGBTQ community. I have
chosen to be a positive role model in this regard,” he
added.
Jacobs and his wife Evan are raising
three children.