Jared Polis heads up an impressive list of out politicians that includes Jamie Citron, Nick Shalosky, James Anderson, Aisha C. Mills, and Jason Rae.
Jared Polis | Congressman | 34 | Boulder, Colo.
For U.S. representative Jared Polis, an entrepreneur-turned-politician, Congress does not disappoint. "This is a challenging and exciting job every day," he says, noting that his long hours and aptly situated apartment keep him within blocks of the Capitol. "I haven't gotten to go into D.C. much."
Polis, who became the House's third openly gay member after Colorado voters elected him last November, is awestruck by the pace of action in his new gig. "I never expected that we would pass something of the magnitude of the Recovery Act," he says of the $787 billion stimulus package President Obama signed into law in February. Polis campaigned on an environmental platform and is thrilled with the bill's initiative to make federal buildings greener and to provide incentives for environmentally friendly construction. But where do gay issues fit among all the other priorities? "I expect we'll take action soon on the Matthew Shepard hate-crimes act, and I'm very hopeful that we will pass a ban on workplace discrimination later this year," he says.
Polis, whose district is mostly suburban Denver and mountain resort areas, says his sexuality has always been a secondary issue for his constituents, who elected him based on his Iraq, education, and health-care stances. "I think it shows just how far our country has come that a district without a major LGBT population center can elect someone who's openly gay."
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