Annise Parker elected first out gay mayor of Houston
Annise Parker, an out lesbian, has been elected mayor of Houston, Texas.
The vote makes the city the largest in the US to elect an openly gay mayor.
Parker won against city attorney Gene Locke by 53.6 per cent of the vote.
She told supporters: “This election has changed the world for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community, just as it is about transforming the lives of all Houstonians for the better, and that’s what my administration will be about.”
She won election as a city official six times and is currently city controller.
Although she rarely mentioned her sexual orientation while campaigning, she became the target of a small group of religious and conservative groups in the city who said they were concerned about a “gay takeover” of city hall.
