Elizabeth
Edwards, the wife of presidential hopeful and former North
Caroline senator John Edwards, is slated to speak at the
Alice B. Toklas Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender Democratic Club this Sunday morning,
according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Many believe
Edwards's decision to attend reflects a greater recognition
of gays and lesbians as a voting demographic.
"It certainly is
another barrier falling," author and gay activist
David Mixner, once named by Newsweek as "the most
powerful gay man in America," said to the Chronicle.
Edwards was
invited to the event by Jeff Anderson, a Democratic activist
who once was co-chair of John Kerry's LGBT finance
committee.
"Over the last 10
years, we've advanced so far from presidential
candidates not wanting show up," Anderson said in the
article, adding that presidential campaign
support of LGBT people has evolved to discussing and
even promoting gay issues.
Elizabeth Edwards
has also signed on as keynote speaker at a July 14
Human Rights Campaign event at San Francisco's Bill Graham
Civic Auditorium. (The Advocate)