Congratulations, Houston!

Image credit: Annise Parker for Houston

This year brought us another first:

Houston Saturday became the first major U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor, Annise Parker, after a hotly contested run-off election that gave gay and lesbian supporters a symbolic victory following defeats over legalizing same-sex marriages in California and Maine.

"The voters of Houston have opened the door to history," Parker told supporters at a convention center in Houston. "I know what this win means to many of us who never thought we could achieve high office."

Houston Elects Openly Gay Mayor

If there had been a pool going as to which of the ten largest American cities would first elect a gay mayor, I wouldn't have taken "Houston" without some serious odds. I think that in itself says something about how far we've come on this issue. With the start of this year seeing our first black President inaugurated, this seems like a good way to end it.

There's still a long way to go. Gay marriage isn't recognized as a right in most places in America. There are still unexamined prejudices regarding religious preferences. But this country is getting better about these issues, albeit more slowly than just about any of us would wish.

Congratulations to Annise Parker and to Houston.