Brian Sims

Brian Sims

Pa. House of Representatives Official Portrait
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 182nd district
Assumed office
December 1, 2012
Preceded by Babette Josephs
Personal details
Born (1978-09-16) September 16, 1978
Washington, D.C.
Political party Democratic
Residence Philadelphia
Alma mater Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania (B.S.)
Michigan State University (J.D.)

Brian K. Sims (born September 16, 1978) is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 182nd district. Elected in 2012, Sims is also a lawyer and activist on LGBT civil rights.[1] Sims is the first openly gay elected state legislator in Pennsylvania history.[2]

Early life and career

Sims was born in Washington D.C., as the son of two Army Lieutenant Colonels.[3] Sims lived in seventeen states before settling in Pennsylvania in the early 1990s.[4] He later completed his undergraduate studies at Bloomsburg University, in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania in 2001. In 2000, Sims was the co-captain of the Bloomsburg University football team, and was recognized as a scholar athlete.[5] During the 2000 season, the longest season in the Division II school's history, Sims came out as gay to his teammates.[6] In doing so, the regional All-American and team captain became the only openly gay college football captain in NCAA history.[6]

In 2004, Sims earned a J.D. Degree in International and Comparative law at the Michigan State University School of Law.

Before assuming public office, Sims served as staff counsel for policy and planning at the Philadelphia Bar Association.[7] During his time at the Bar Association, Sims worked with attorneys, legislators and community organizations on issues ranging from gender and pay inequity to environmental regulation.

Activism and election to public office

Sims served as the President of Equality Pennsylvania, and as the Chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP), until he stepped down from both positions in 2011. In 2009, Sims joined the faculty of the Center for Progressive Leadership and the National Campaign Board of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. Additionally, he was selected as one of the Top 40 LGBT Attorneys Under 40 in the United States by the National LGBT Bar Association in 2010.[8]

In 2011, Sims announced his intentions to run for representative of the 182nd Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.[4][9] Sims defeated Babette Josephs, a 28-year incumbent, in the 2012 Democratic primary.[10] He did not face a Republican challenger in the November general election and was elected.

Sims was the first openly gay person elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[11] Although he was not sworn in until January 1, 2013, because Pennsylvania state representatives' term of service and legislative duties officially begin on the first day of December following their election,[12] Sims shares the designation of being its first openly gay member with Rep. Mike Fleck (R–Huntingdon), who came out in a newspaper article published later that day.[13]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

In June 2013, after the Defense of Marriage Act had been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, Sims tried to make a speech in the Pennsylvania House supporting the decision. Daryl Metcalfe, who was one of several representatives who blocked Sims from speaking, said ”I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God’s law.”.[14]

A staunch advocate for equality and civil rights, Sims made national news on October 3, 2013 when he and fellow Democratic Rep. Steve McCarter introduced legislation to legalize Same-Sex Marriage in Pennsylvania.[15] Sims has also introduced a bill with fellow Democratic State Representative Erin Molchany to help reduce and eliminate the gender gap in rate of pay as well as legislation to ban the practice of Conversion therapy with Rep. Gerald Mullery.[16][17]

Sims has also seen success in working with federal legislators on issues of LGBT civil rights.[18] On March 28, 2013, Sims penned an open letter to U.S. Senator and fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey, Jr. urging him to come out publicly in support of same-sex marriage.[19] Three days later, on April 1, 2013, Senator Casey publicly voiced his support for same-sex marriage in a newspaper interview.[20]

Eight months later, on November 1, 2013, in anticipation of a coming vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the U.S. Senate, Sims published a letter to Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey urging him to vote in favor of the LGBT civil rights legislation.[21] Several days later, when the legislation came up for a vote, Senator Toomey voted in support of the bill.[22]

In a statement released by Sims' office, Sims said:

“I have long believed that civil rights cannot be a one party issue. Sen. Casey has supported LGBT civil rights from nondiscrimination to marriage equality, and I am proud to see him continue to demonstrate that support tonight. I am especially proud of Sen. Toomey who tonight confirmed to Americans across the nation that civil rights is not an issue of right and left, but an issue of right and wrong. Senator Toomey’s vote in support of ENDA shows that a conservative ideology and support for LGBT equality are not mutually exclusive.”[18]

On November 11, 2013, Sims teamed with Republican State Representative Bryan Cutler to introduce a bill to replace Pennsylvania's system of electing judges with a merit-based system.[23] Sims has garnered wide attention for his commitment to bipartisanship and collaboration between the Commonwealth's Democratic and Republican parties.[24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Center For Progressive Leadership. Retrieved 2011-12-5". Progressiveleaders.org. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  2. ↑ Wing, Nicholas (April 26, 2012). "Pennsylvania Set To Elect First Openly Gay State Lawmaker". Huffington Post.
  3. ↑ "Family Portrait Brian Sims". The Philadelphia Gay News. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Sims to challenge Babette Josephs in 182nd Dist". The Philadelphia Gay News. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  5. ↑ Zeigler, Cyd (August 24, 2011). "Brian Sims tells his story nine years later". Outsports.com. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "Former college football captain was openly gay". Outsports.com. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Rep. Brian K. Sims' Home Page". Pahouse.com. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Sims For Pennsylvania: About Brian Sims". Sims4pa.com. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Brian Sims announces candidacy for Pennsylvania's 182nd House District". Sims4pa.com. 2011-09-08. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  10. ↑ "Brian Sims breaks the mold, unseats a long-time incumbent — NewsWorks". Newsworks.org. April 24, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Gay Politics — Pennsylvania to get first openly gay state legislator". Gaypolitics.com. April 24, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  12. ↑ Pennsylvania Constitution, Article II, Section 2 http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Constitution.html
  13. ↑ "Republican State Rep. Mike Fleck: I'm Gay". Politicspa.com. 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  14. ↑ Reilly, Mollie (June 27, 2013). "Brian Sims, Pennsylvania Lawmaker, Silenced On DOMA By Colleagues Citing 'God's Law'". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  15. ↑ Artavia, David (June 27, 2013). "Rep. Brian Sims to Introduce Marriage Bill in Pennsylvania". Advocate.com. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Bill Information - House Bill 1811; Regular Session 2013-2014 - PA General Assembly". Legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  17. ↑ "House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda - PA House of Representatives". Legis.state.pa.us. November 25, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  18. 1 2 Jonathan Tamari. "Gay PA Rep. praises Toomey, Casey". Philly.com. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  19. ↑ Sims, Brian (March 28, 2013). "The Time Is Now: An Open Letter to a U.S. Senator". Huffington Post.
  20. ↑ Colby Itkowitz, Call Washington Bureau (April 1, 2013). "Bob Casey support for gay marriage - Morning Call". Articles.mcall.com. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  21. ↑ Siddiqui, Sabrina (November 1, 2013). "Openly Gay Lawmaker Calls On Pat Toomey To Back ENDA". Huffington Post.
  22. ↑ "Toomey Votes For ENDA". PoliticsPA. November 7, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  23. ↑ "On its merits: A new bill offers sense on judicial elections - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 18, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Liberal Sims has this conservative's respect". Philly.com. October 18, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2014.

External links

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