Nevade state Sen. Kelvin Atkinson (D-North Las Vegas) created a firestorm late last month when he came out during an emotional legislative debate over a measure to repeal the state's gay marriage ban.
"I know this is the first time many of you have heard me say that I am a black, gay male," Atkinson said at the time.
And so it began, though it wasn't until the following morning when he truly discovered the impact of his words worldwide, not just in his home state.
"I had no expectations when I did what I did," Atkinson said by phone in an exclusive interview with Windy City Times. "I thought the local [media] would pick it up. I thought I would wake up [on] Tuesday with a couple media [interview] requests, and then we'd move on. But instead, I woke up on Tuesday and my [email] inbox, plus my Facebook and Twitter accounts, had exploded—and things still haven't stopped. It's been a whirlwind, but in a good way.
"It really has been crazy, but crazy in a good way. It's been amazing."
He's been doing interviews seemingly nonstop, including MSNBC May 4. He has hundreds, perhaps thousands, of new Facebook friends, and just as many new Twitter followers.
He also has received marriage proposals and countless invitations for dates.
In total, Atkinson said he's received a few thousand correspondences since publicly coming out. "My office never really has a hard time keeping up with [correspondence from the public,] but we really have had a hard time for the past week or so. We had to put a spreadsheet together for this, [including] what we need to do."
Atkinson got home just before midnight April 22 and turned his phone off when he went to bed. The next morning, he already had 180 new friend requests on Facebook.
"There have been some very unique responses, but mostly people asking me for advice, many offering support [for coming out] and being that face to the topic," said Atkinson, who admitted he's been brought to tears from some of the letters he's received since coming out. "It was a personal and professional decision [to come out] because there was a bill involved that we were having a floor session on, and we're happy to see that bill go forward."
The Nevada Senate voted 12-9 to begin the process of repealing the gay marriage ban from the state constitution.
"I didn't [come out publically] for recognition, or to get any notoriety; I did it for myself," Atkinson said. "As I said on the floor, my family has always known, [including] my 17 year-old daughter and my daughter's mom. To a certain extent, for years, close to two decades, the only thing that's ever mattered to me was that they all knew. Making it a public statement certainly was different for me. I chose to do it at this point, but certainly didn't want to take away from the issue—that we're trying to pass marriage equality in the state, and I'm committed to that."
Atkinson said he wasn't planning to talk that night, but comments from others compelled him to speak. He argued against comments that same-sex marriage threatens other marriages.
"If this hurts your marriage, then your marriage was in trouble in the first place," he said during the legislative debate.
Atkinson said his coming-out, no doubt, surprised some.
"Nationally, I think sentiment has really changed [in support of same-sex marriage,]" he said. "Sentiment has totally shifted from where it was; I think the responses I would have gotten 10 years ago would have been a lot different."
Then again, he admits, he would not have come out 10 years ago.
"I think public sentiment in this state is for [same-sex marriage]. We'll have to see."
Atkinson, 44, is the fifth openly gay member of the Nevada legislature, alongside senators David Parks and Patricia Spearman, and Assemblymen James Healey and Andrew Martin.
Atkinson was born and lived for about five years in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles. "As much as I'd like to claim Chicago, I claim L.A., because that's basically where I grew up," he said—and he's admittedly a fan of the Dodgers, Lakers and Raiders in sports.
Still, he added, "I love Chicago. My mom [Mary] lives in Chicago, with most of her side of the family. I have a lot of cousins, aunts and uncles," who live in Chicago.
"I keep saying that I need to get back there, and I will, soon. I just need to avoid the winter there. My family isn't happy that I don't cheer for the Chicago [sports] teams like they do."
Atkinson has twice attended Black Pride in Chicago, most recently in 2011. He also has been to gay pride parades in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Houston.
"It's funny, I've been to a lot of Pride Parades," over the years, he said, laughing. "I've been to Pride Parades, but never been out at the parades.
"It will be different for me [this year], to go and be open and out."
Atkinson said he opted for Black Pride in Chicago because it has coincided with Taste of Chicago, one of his favorite reasons to visit Chicago. He's been to the Taste about eight times over the past 15 years.
So, senator, are you single or dating?
He laughed and then answered, "I am single right now."
As for Mr. Right, he said, "I like average people; I like people who like to have fun, someone who I have a lot of commonalities with. I love to travel; I love restaurant dining; I'm not huge into the club scene; I like a lot of alone time."
