Atlanta suburb elects gay man as mayor pro tempore

Lawmakers in an Atlanta suburb have elected a gay colleague as their city's new mayor pro tempore.

The East Point City Council elected Councilmember Lance Rhodes at their Jan. 4 meeting. He will chair the City Council in Mayor Earnestine Pittman's absence, but a statewide advocacy group was quick to applaud Rhodes' election.

"Georgia Equality, once again, applauds the leadership of the city of East Point for making a stand for equality and fairness by electing an openly-gay man to this position," Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality, said in a statement that further pointed out the city's domestic partnership registry and other pro-LGBT overtures in recent years. "East Point has once again proven itself to be a city that values diversity."

First elected to the City Council in 2004, Rhodes is a Mississippi native who currently works for the Department of Homeland Security. He is also a former minister and a veteran. And Rhodes, who lives in Jefferson Park with his partner of 17 years, Roger Donodeo, was quick to discuss his faith to EDGE.

"I find a contradiction of living a life dedicated to religious convictions while denying basic human rights that cannot be explained through a "sermon" of love and compassion," he said. "It is my hope that Georgians will continue to have open and frank discussions about the contributions to humanity that are provided by the LGBT community."

Rhodes is among the handful of LGBT elected officials-including state Reps. Simone Bell and Karla Drenner and Atlanta City Councilmember Alex Wan-in the state. He conceded "there is a bias that is still very prominent in Georgia." Rhodes expressed hope, however, LGBT Georgians will continue to become involved with the political process.

"It is my hope that my service as a local LGBT elected official will encourage others within the LGBT community to remain committed to insisting on equal rights," he said.