Elizabeth Edwards
to speak at San Francisco LGBT event

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)