Kate Brown

Kate Brown has frequently been rated Oregon’s top legislator by constituent interest groups and newspapers. She was married in October 1997. Photo by Ron Schlittler.

Katherine “Kate” Brown, (D) Born June 21, 1960 State Senator, District 21 Portland, Oregon 114,000 constituents

Career Overview Appointed to State House of Representatives November 1991 Elected November 1992 Re-elected 1994 Elected to Senate November 1996 Elected Democratic Senate Leader by fellow Democratic Senators November 1998 Re-elected 2000, 2004 Elected Senate Majority Leader in 2004

Interview with Kate Brown from Out and Elected in the USA

I believe it was during my early 30’s that I figured out who, or what, I am. But it wasn’t until it was written in the Oregonian newspaper that I was bisexual that I had to face the inevitable and let those around me know. Thus began my very public coming out as a bisexual:

• Coming out to my parents – who flew in from Minnesota “to have a talk.” Their response – “It would be much easier for us if you were a lesbian.”

• Coming out to my gay friends – who called me half-queer.

• Coming out to my straight friends – who never thought I could make up my mind about anything anyway.

And, most frighteningly to me:

• Coming out to my legislative colleagues. At the beginning of the next legislative session sitting in the House lounge, representative Bill Markham, who is over 70 years old, extremely conservative, and a legislator for more than 20 years comes to join me. Over lunch he looks up to say, “Read in the Oregonian a few months ago you were bisexual. Guess that means I still have a chance?!”

Some days I feel like I have a foot in both worlds, yet never really belonging to either.

Return to Out and Elected in the USA index • Go to next article

This entry is part of the featured exhibit Out and Elected in the USA curated by Ron Schlittler. As it is content created by a named author, editor, or curator, it is not open to editing by the general public. But we strongly encourage you to discuss the content or propose edits on the discussion page, and the author, editor, or curator will make any changes that improve the entry or its content. Thanks.