that while I would not come out publicly, but I would be very supportive of gay rights. But it turned out I was the only person that year who won and had said yes. I did that assuming that I would be one of several people. Everybody who ran for the legislature was asked by the gay and lesbian groups, ‘Would you support a gay rights bill, repealing the law against sodomy and preventing job discrimination?’ And I said yes, that I would support the bill and even be the sponsor. My first run for public office was in 1972, in the state House. And to get elected to office you’ve got to be popular. I said, ‘Yeah, I’d like to get involved in politics, but I could probably never get elected because I’m gay.’ I knew I was gay from 13. I first started being involved in politics in the ‘50s when I was a teenager.
Looking back then, were you worried you’d be outed-and face consequences? When you ran for Congress in 1980 you were not yet public about your sexual orientation. Looking back for LGBTQ History Month, TIME spoke with Frank about his storied advocacy for LGBTQ rights in Congress, and the progress left to be made.