Several
Republican California lawmakers stormed off the assembly
floor in the state capitol on Monday during a ceremony
to honor the achievements of six high-profile gay
Californians, News10/KXTV reports. The legislature's
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus sponsored
the first Pride Recognition Awards, a program they say is
designed to recognize the accomplishments of people
who happen to be gay in their respective fields.
Conservative
assembly members boycotted the program. "Ladies and
gentlemen, I rise to point out the ridiculousness of the
exercise," said assembly Republican leader George
Plescia of San Diego. "We're wasting a lot of time; we
have a lot of bills on the floor."
The honorees
included such celebrities as former NFL tackle Esera
Tuaolo and Reichen Lehmkuhl, cowinner of the million-dollar
prize on the TV reality show The Amazing Race
4. Watching quietly from the back of the room was
Lehmkuhl's partner, Lance Bass, a singer with the
former boy band 'N Sync. Bass recently went public
with the fact he is gay.
Openly gay
assemblyman Mark Leno of San Francisco said he hoped the
event would benefit Republicans by showing them the
"strength of our diversity and the many
accomplishments in a variety of disciplines." But
approximately 10 Republicans either walked out or boycotted
the event altogether. "So it's a great disappointment
that they're acting like such children," Leno said.
(The Advocate)