Nevada State Senator Kelvin Atkinson Comes Out As Gay As Nevada Approves Same-Sex Marriage

While the state Senate of Nevada voted to repeal an amendment to the state Constitution banning gay marriage and replace it with one requiring Nevada to recognize the practice, state Senator Kelvin Atkinson comes out as gay during the heated exchange among the assembled legislators. 

As reported by the Las Vegas Sun, Atkinson said, "I'm black. I'm gay," as he addressed the assembly, and continued with, "I know this is the first time many of heard that I'm a black, gay male."

Atkinson has served as a democrat in Nevada's state legislature for more than a decade. Originally hailing from Chicago, he's been prominent on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and as the bill was headed to the floor, he posted a link talking about how excited he was for the vote to Facebook.

After the bill legalizing same-sex marriage, SJR13, passed in a 12-9 vote in the State senate, with only one Republican, Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, joining Democrats in support of the measure, it's now begun the process of becoming approved in the state. 

Some of the assorted assemblyman voted because they have first-hand experience with other gay Americans, despite religious convictions that would seem to be against the measure. Senators Justin Jones, a Mormon, and Ruben Kihuen, a Catholic, both voted for the bill. 

Kihuen said afterwards, "I don't know if I'll be allowed in church on Sunday," and Jones--after receiving threats about the bill--also added his own personal remarks since his brother-in-law is gay, "I would rather lose an election than look my brother-in-law in the eye every Sunday and tell him he doesn't have the same rights as I do."

In 2000 and again in 2002, Nevada voters approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between and man and a woman.