Politics | 12/03/2008 6:30 am

Openly Gay Mary Beth Maxwell To Head Labor Team?

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

via Change To Win's Flickr

President-elect Barack Obama’s cabinet may become even more colorful!

In addition to a number of black and female members, Obama’s transition team has reportedly started vetting openly gay union activist Mary Beth Maxwell to head the Labor Department. Though she’s going up against the likes of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Maxwell’s already received the backing of gay rights organization Human Rights Campaign and Representative David Boinier, who, interestingly, has also been named as a potential labor pick. The Wall Street Journal provides a bit more background on Maxwell’s bio:

Maxwell is the perfect labor secretary you’ve probably never heard of: a gay woman, community organizer and labor leader with an adopted African American son. And this founding executive director of American Rights at Work is about to get the full-court press….

Many labor leaders are thrilled by Maxwell’s potential position, with AFL-CIO and Change to Win, which is made of Service Employees, giving her a thumbs up. Other labor leaders, meanwhile, wonder whether Maxwell’s got the chops to take the national stage. This picture of Maxwell fired up at this Change to Win rally gives us a feeling she can hold her own. We don’t know what she’s saying, but it sure looks good.

Read more about: Barack Obama, Labor Department, Mary Beth Maxwell, News, Politics

64 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

You can bet she’s the best person for the position. I think the time is coming soon, when all people will have equal rights in this country. Then it won’t be necessary to announce a person’s religion, sexual orientation, race or gender in the first two words of a headline. We are a young country, and have finally come to the point where everyone can examine their conscience about what equal rights means. The gays don’t have to stand alone. Many of the rest of us will stand with them. Ellen and Rosie and Mary Beth and so many others are helping us to understand what it might feel like to be treated as someone not equal. It just annoys me so much, that people can vote against the rights of others, based on their own religious bias.

By Murnah H on 12/03/2008 9:30 pm

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I think that , for the time being, these distinctions need to be pointed out in the interest of diversity…….and, if they weren’t pointed out/defined, it would only be two seconds before it was flashed across the universe …about why someone is “different”….(fill in the blanks) Today it was Bill Richardson……and he was a what..? and a what and what and what ? We just have to wait and watch and rejoice in the way it’s going…… This is still a long row to hoe, Murnah……and I’m happy to know you’re howing every row…….

By georgia fatwood on 12/03/2008 10:50 pm

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Well, if her sexuality isn’t brought out in the open now, then it will be somewhere down the rode, most likely by a republican anti homosexual christian right extremist… then, it would appear as though someone was hiding something, or some shady kind of thinking behind her selection. We live in a day and age in which we are all supposed to be above all that nonsense, but, obviously as a society there are still too many who look down on people for many reasons. Homosexuality is just one of those issues which are yet unresolved in America. When will we have a more balanced society which believes in a “live and let live” philosophy? I can hardly wait until that time comes. If people of other stripes and ideologies do not harm or damage the others around them, why does it need to be an issue at all? Please if anyone can answer this for me, I’d appreciate it. Namaste

By Ro H on 12/04/2008 2:40 am

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I think the point was that it didn’t have to be part of the title and could have been mentioned in the text of the article the same way a person’s married life might be mentioned. By making it part of the title, the focus is not on the person’s ability. When it’s part of a headline, it means it still controversial, and that’s the part that’s objectionable.

By Brooklyn Gal on 12/04/2008 9:28 am

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Hey everyone … “Prop 8—The Musical” http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c0cf508ff8/prop-8-the-musical-starring-…

By Serena . on 12/04/2008 5:16 am

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Sorry everyone … Miss Josie posted this way before me. I will slink away in embarrassment now … .

By Serena . on 12/04/2008 5:27 am

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Rofl! It’s OK….it needs to be seen. Homework for the heterosexuals. I love the cast!

By Josie Sullivan on 12/04/2008 8:00 am

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Hee heee

By Serena . on 12/04/2008 8:15 am

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Serena- Have you checked out the thread on the episcopal church splitting over the gay issue? I’ve been thinking (dangerous I know) but, maybe all public officials should be introduced with their personal info…” and now senator so and so…he has married three times, participated in 5 extramarital affairs, has two children out of wedlock, is known to wear thong underwear, even though his penis is small…let’s give him a warm welcome to the stage”…applause applause

By Josie Sullivan on 12/04/2008 9:30 am

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OMG!!! ROFL! It’s soooo good to see you again Josie. I was getting concerned that the “haters” were taking over.

By Serena . on 12/04/2008 9:55 am

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Miss LOTV!!! It’s so good to see you! I have missed you bunches and bunches!!

By Serena . on 12/05/2008 5:19 am

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I needed the levity of the Jack Black musical because I’ve been so angry and scared by prop 8. The idea that rights which have previously been upheld by the state supreme court can be taken away astounds me. I worry what other rights are in jeopardy with this new tactic.

By BG mom on 12/05/2008 1:44 pm

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hmmm church and state issues have always been a big issue in ireland…… the winds of change are being felt very strongly……did you know that 100,000 left ireland in one day about two weeks ago….!!!! i feel though i am in hospital that things will be great next year… my film quote of the week is “we are your yankee doodle dandy come home” and it seems like that we’ll be having alot more gay or “gay friendly” bars in rural towns. there’s one already opened in kilkenny city where my sister and her husband and kids live. they are waiting for me to visit so they can check it out!!!! i keep calling them chickens. in dublin the panti bar is doing great cabaret thanks to miss panti and is now the hottest spot in town! my musical quote of the week is “you can’t fool the children of the revolution!”

By emma o&amp;amp;#039;reilly on 12/06/2008 6:56 am

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emma o’reilly, Thank you for letting us know of your presence on this site. It is wonderful to read your post, and bit of excitement going on in Ireland. It feels wonderful reading and knowing about others who live in other countries struggling right alongside of us in the USA., fighting all the crap we have to struggle against. I also love your musical quote. “you can’t fool the children of the revolution!” Thanks. I hope if there are others who are from other countries, who read these posts, you will also share information with us. The WWW is the most amazing ‘invention’ in my lifetime - we are able to interact now, in ways which have never before occured. WOW o WOW! It is exciting!

By Ro H on 12/09/2008 2:21 am

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One last point. Until there are no more such issues which cause dissention or division, in this world, the words need to be out in the public view. Words which may be more impactful to some, most likely need to become less impactful. Word usage accomplishes this affect. Whether or not someone is homosexual obviously does not affect their job performance. It may however, become some kind of unnecessary point of contention, and should be pointed out from the outset. I believe it is a wise move on Barack Obama’s part.

By Ro H on 12/09/2008 3:13 am