California Elects Four Lesbians to Assembly

By 2000, California saw the election of its first four out members of the Assembly. Jackie Goldberg, who was previously a two-term member of the Los Angeles City Council, won election in 2000 as did Chris Kehoe, who had been a San Diego City Council member.
First elected in 1994, Sheila Kuehl was the first out LGBTQ member of the Assembly, and was joined by Assemblywoman and future state Senator Carole Migden in 1996.
The four women – featured in the 2016 documentary Political Animals – were successful in transforming then-Republican-leaning California into a national leader on LGBTQ rights. Bills authored by the four legislators led to the legal recognition of same-sex parents, the creation of domestic partnerships and expanded access to HIV medication.
