At the Crossroads In November 1974, a red-headed Bostonian, who looked like she came straight from Southie, was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. With fifty-nine percent of the vote, Elaine Noble's victory represented a remarkable emergence, as she was the first openly gay politician to win election to statewide office (Perry 37- 65). Noble's election was the catalyst for a series of dramatic events, not only for the residents of the Fenway District of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but also for the entire country. As of that historic afternoon, Massachusetts has typically had ten openly gay politicians on its ballot. Nationally, there are more than one hundred and sixty openly gay politicians, with an average of about a hundred more gay people running for office. It is necessary to establish that Elaine Noble and her many supporters all have a point of view that recognizes inherent discrimination. and the oppression of gays. From this perspective, pursuing change through reform of the status quo is a top priority. Another view, called liberationist, seeks to restructure an inherently oppressive system. Both systems are political means of achieving change: politicians themselves are usually reformers, while political organizations and individuals can operate in either area. The liberation movement often criticizes reformers like Noble, accusing them of wanting to be like the white (straight) man. Reformers see themselves more as multiculturalists: there are a number of distinct groups and their differences should be celebrated. Liberators counter this assumption by reasoning that gays are an oppressed minority and, as an oppressed minority, cannot function within the structures created by the larger majority. These assumptions are part of the minority thesis, which, in a sense, constitutes the systemic differences of each group. Using the unique geographic space of Washington, DC, I intend to challenge the stereotypical assumption that gay identity is a prerequisite for electing an openly gay candidate. politician. When I talk about “gay identity,” I’m specifically referring to the sense of community, pride, and progress. Distinct minority theses will be used to convey the implications of identity in the political structure and, therefore, the formation of a gay identity in the District of Columbia. Although Elaine Noble was the first gay candidate to win elected office, she was not the first openly gay politician. Frank Kameny, an activist who had previously lost his federal job because of his sexual orientation, was the first openly gay person to run for national office..