The Bay Area Reporter: Are you in the gay club?

Cynthia:

I disagree with the very concept of identity politics, that a candidate's sexual orientation, gender, race, age, class, etc. supposedly tell voters something important. Assimilation is the American ideal, and focusing on anything but the actual issues undermines that ideal. Is there a gay perspective, for example, on Muni that tells us anything important about our public transit system? On the Market/Octavia Plan? Rincon Hill? The Bicycle Plan fiasco? It's just a false path to cling to one aspect of identity under the assumption that it's a meaningful way to approach the important issues facing San Francisco.

This was how many commentators misinterpreted the Democratic Party primary. Obama is just a candidate who happens to be black---that's really how he sees himself---and Hillary was just a candidate who happened to be female.

So no, my sexual orientation is irrelevant, as is my use of drugs and my religion or lack thereof.

Regards,

Rob Anderson

Hi Rob,

I am putting together a story on the candidates who qualified for the Nov. election. I went back to our archives from 2000 (when you also ran in Dist. 5) and noticed that you declined to state your sexual orientation. I was wondering if you still have that position or if you would like to state it. Please let me know.

Thank you.
Cynthia Laird

News Editor

Bay Area Reporter

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