Maggie McIntosh came out to an audience in October when accepting an award from the Women's Law Center of Maryland. (by Kara Fox)

by Kara Fox

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- When the Maryland General Assembly convened its opening session Wednesday, Jan. 9, Del. Maggie L. McIntosh (D-Baltimore) was introduced as the first female House Majority Leader, a position she was appointed to in July. But what many watching the proceedings didn’t know is that McIntosh is also the first openly gay person in the state’s legislature.

McIntosh came out before an audience Oct. 29, 2001, during an acceptance speech for an award from the Women’s Law Center of Maryland. This was the first time McIntosh had publicly said she was a lesbian -- although she said she has been open to friends, family and colleagues -- but no media was present at the event.

"It wasn’t a surprise to anyone -- everyone already knew," McIntosh said. "It was the right thing to do at that time."

McIntosh is obviously well-liked, made apparent during the Jan. 9 legislative opening session when she earned a standing ovation and her colleagues clapped every time her name was mentioned -- not normal practice on the legislative floor. Activists say it is her personality and ability to relate to people that makes her so likable and able to move up the political notch. They also note that it speaks to McIntosh’s political prowess that she was appointed to a powerful position because she is a woman, a lesbian, and from Baltimore -- a city known for its liberal politicians.

In addition to being a lesbian, she is "known as a progressive legislator from Baltimore City," said Shannon Avery, chair of the legislative and political action committee for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of Baltimore & Central Maryland. "All of that is really a testament to her personality. It will be interesting to see where her career goes from here."

Taking an Opportunity

McIntosh said she chose to come out during her acceptance speech to the Women’s Law Center because she said it was an opportunity to speak to Baltimore lawyers on legislation that was important and close to her heart. The measure McIntosh spoke of was the now-enacted anti-discrimination law that protects gays in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations. At the time, the law, which was passed by the General Assembly in April 2001 and signed by Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) on May 15, 2001, was in limbo pending the outcome of a referendum drive. McIntosh mentioned in her speech that the lawsuit was still pending and she said she was thinking about ways to defeat the referendum.

McIntosh had fought to get the law passed over a 10-year period and was named by Glendening in a September interview with the Blade as instrumental in that fight, along with Del. Sheila Hixson (D-Montgomery).

After Glendening signed the law, a conservative group, Take Back Maryland, gathered petition signatures to bring the law to a vote on the November 2002 ballot. After the petition signatures were verified by the state, gay advocates brought a lawsuit against the Maryland State Board of Elections, claiming there were not enough signatures to put the law to referendum. The lawsuit eventually settled Nov. 21, with the anti-gay activists stating they did not have enough petition signatures.

"I used the opportunity to speak to Baltimore lawyers to talk about the referendum and in that context I talked about why the bill, which wasn’t yet law, was very important," McIntosh said.

McIntosh said she relayed to the audience that during a recent visit to her hometown in Kansas, she noticed a "sadness" in one of her friends and mentioned it to her. Her friend said all the years of growing up and living in a small town as an open lesbian had taken its toll.

"I realized that she felt marked," McIntosh said. "She was not accepted totally for who she is. I don’t feel a mark -- I live my life in certainty. It has never stopped me from anything."

McIntosh said it was at this point that she told the audience that, "There are a lot of men and women in Maryland living in fear."

"It was in that context that I said, ‘I grew up in that same small town and I was gay.’ It wasn’t a surprise to anyone," she said. "I liked doing it that way and I thought it was important."

Maggie McIntosh (third from left) was joined by her sister, mother, niece and nephew at the opening session of the Maryland General Assembly on Jan. 9. She is the state's first female House Majority Leader, and first publicly gay member of the Legislature. (by Kara Fox)

Personalizing the Issues

McIntosh, 54, was born in Quinter, Kansas, and received a bachelor’s degree in arts education from Wichita State University in 1970 and a master’s degree in science from Johns Hopkins University in 1987. She is a former teacher in the Baltimore City Public Schools and an adjunct professor at Catonsville Community College and the University of Baltimore. She also served as the campaign manager and state director for U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) from 1988-1992. When she is not in session, McIntosh is the associate for federal relations at Johns Hopkins University.

Activists say McIntosh was the force behind getting the anti-discrimination law passed

"We would have never passed the anti-discrimination bill if it had not been for Del. McIntosh," Avery said. "She personalized the issue with her colleagues in a way that the advocates on the issue never really could."

Avery said McIntosh personalized the issue by going "door-to-door" to other legislators and talking to them about her concerns. It was at this time that she came out to most of her colleagues.

"She’s a lovely person and her colleagues really appreciate her, it seems," Avery said. "For her to be recognized as a leader and as a bridge builder -- it’s extraordinary."

Blake Humphreys, managing director of Free State Justice, the statewide gay civil rights organization, said McIntosh has "been an amazing leader for civil rights in Maryland for many, many years."

"They [other legislators] didn’t look at her as a woman or as a lesbian, but as a person to get things done."

Brian Bond, executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, called McIntosh’s coming out a "barrier breaker." Although from a national perspective McIntosh is not the first openly gay person to hold a leadership position on a statewide level, Bond said it is still "extremely significant."

"We’re proud of her to make a public statement about her sexual orientation," Bond said. "She got to where she is today because of her abilities. It can only have a positive impact from here on out. I hope this opens more doors as our issues are discussed in Annapolis."

In 1992, McIntosh was appointed to a vacancy in the House and was elected in 1994 and re-elected in 1998 to represent the 42nd District of Baltimore City and Baltimore County. During her tenure in the House, McIntosh has served on a number of committees and subcommittees, including the Appropriations Committee, the subcommittee on personnel (which she chaired), the education and economic development and capitol subcommittees, the Commerce & Government Matters Committee (where she was vice chair), the House Democratic Research Group (which she chaired). She also was Deputy Majority Whip and is the current chair of the Banking & Financial Services Subcommittee. And now she holds her most esteemed position yet in the Maryland House.

"I am the first woman majority leader, of which I am immensely proud," McIntosh said.

McIntosh was named as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2001 and was recognized by several organizations for her work in the legislature.

She serves on several task forces and advisory councils and has been actively involved in the Democratic Party. She was elected as a delegate to the Democratic Party National Convention in 1980, among other involvements with the party.

McIntosh also "loves to travel and kayak with family and friends" and spending time outdoors with her two Labrador retrievers, Byron and Cokie.