Former 2018 Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum came out during an interview for the Tamron Hall Show today.
Gillum said he doesn’t identify as gay, but he does identify as bisexual.
LGBT+ Center Director George Wallace says hearing him speak those words with pride will mean a lot to young people of color in Central Florida.
“Sometimes it’s harder for them to come out so having a role model so to speak. I know that the incident at the hotel. Get past that and take politics out of it. Because Andrew Gillum has always been pro-LGBTQ and I’ve always admired him for that.”
[audio wav="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/clip-gillum-.wav"][/audio]
Wallace says he hopes he uses his platform to help others in the community.
“I want to see him live his authentic life and take from the experience that he had as a way to learn and to grow and to be a person that can talk about being a member of the community and do it so proudly. Because he has a platform that a lot of people don’t have.”
[audio wav="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/13008_GILLUM_DANIELLE.wav"][/audio]
Gillum was found intoxicated in a Miami Beach Hotel room in March with two other men. He subsequently entered rehab for alcohol addiction.
He shares three young children with his wife.
If you'd like to listen to this story, please click on the clips above.