Gay man seeks S.C. county seat
by Matt | March 22nd, 2008 |From the March 22 issue of Q-Notes, the leading LGBT news source of the Carolinas:
Gay man seeks Greenville Council seat
James Akers’ first test will be June primary
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff
GREENVILLE, S.C. — When James Akers moved into town three years ago, he never imagined that he’d embark on a journey that could lead to him being the first openly gay person ever elected to office in South Carolina. But, that’s we’re he finds himself now. If he wins, he will claim a seat on the Greenville County Council and be the default leader and voice of the county’s LGBT community.
Akers’ decision to throw his hat into the ring wasn’t an easy one. It took some time to commit to the idea, he told Q-Notes. “I had been thinking about it for a year, maybe a year and a half. I finally made my decision around Valentine’s Day.”
Akers said his initial interest was sparked by what he thought was a “lack of response” from current council members and a keen interest in zoning laws. He made his bid official on Feb. 13.
“The reason it took me so long to decide to run, was that I knew my sexual orientation might be an issue and I needed to talk to the people in my county,” he said.
Matt, 22, is an LGBT journalist, activist and youth advocate currently living and working in Charlotte, N.C. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is still continuing to pursue his bachelors degree. He is the Owner & Editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14.
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