California Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani has publicly announced
she is gay.
The 47-year-old Galgiani discussed her sexual orientation for the
first time on Tuesday with the Stockton Record.
In the wide-ranging interview, the Democrat from Livingston told
the paper that she wanted to come out to be a role model for young
gay people being bullied.
“It sickens me that young people would think about taking their
lives because of who they are,” Galgiani said.
Galgiani's spokesman confirmed the report to the Sacramento
Bee.
She added that she wasn't aware that she was gay until after she
was elected to represent her district in 2006.
Galgiani joins the seven-member Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Caucus, which includes Democrats Assembly Speaker John A.
Perez, Senator Christine Kehoe, Senator Mark Leno, Assemblyman Tom
Ammiano, Assemblywoman Toni Atkins, Assemblyman Richard S. Gordon and
Assemblyman Ricardo Lara.
The addition of Galgiani makes the caucus the largest in the
nation, according to Equality California, the state's largest gay rights
advocate. The LGBT Caucus was formed in 2002.
The termed-out Galgiani is expected to run for a Senate seat next
year.