Talk:Steve Gunderson (politician)

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[edit] More depth needed

The article here states:

Gunderson was one of the first openly gay members of Congress and was the first openly gay Republican representative. In 1996, Gunderson was the only Republican in Congress to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act, and since leaving Congress he has been a vocal supporter of gay-rights causes.

However, Mr. Gunderson's voting record while a closeted U.S. Representative was, according to the New Republic, decidedly anti-gay:

One early victim was the closeted Wisconsin Republican Representative Steve Gunderson, whose voting record drew the aids activists' ire. At a bar one night in 1991, Gunderson was confronted by the activist Michael Petrelis, who furiously demanded, "When are you going to come out?" Petrelis then dumped a Coke on Gunderson before being dragged away. Under relentless pressure from other gay activists (and a few pile-ons from Republicans like Bob Dornan), Gunderson eventually outed himself.

http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20061023&s=crowley102306

Also, through omission, the articles makes it sound like Mr. Gunderson had always been comfortable with his sexuality when in fact there are reports he was outed on the House floor in 1996:

Steve Gunderson, the former eight-term congressman from Wisconsin and first openly gay Republican in the House, understands why some gay men and lesbians in Washington keep their sexuality and politics separate. He was outed on the House floor in 1996 by former California representative Bob Dornan during the debate over the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2004_May_11/ai_n6152737

Glossing over this part of Mr. Gunderson's background is an endorsement of the sort of backwards-thinking, discriminatory system that creates closeted individuals in the first place. Jimsurge74 14:01, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

Dear user, WP is the free encyclopedia in which everyone is allowed to edit and add to. Unless this is a response to a previous edit of yours that was deleted, you are welcome to include a more comprehensive history in this WP biography using the sources you quoted. No one has maliciously glossed over anything because everyone is free to write to this biography. As well, WP is not a place for open discussion or a soapbox for your personal views. Please go ahead and add the content you find missing in the biography. .:DavuMaya:. 20:36, 9 November 2007 (UTC)