Former Boston mayor and gay rights champion Tom Menino dies
Former Boston Mayor Tom Menino, who was a prominent advocate for gay rights, has died aged 71.
Mr Menino was the longest-serving Mayor of Boston, serving from 1993 to 2014. He passed away yesterday following a battle with cancer.
Early on in his career, he marched in one of the city’s Pride parades – while never marching in the St Patrick’s Day parade, over its ban on gay marchers.
In 2012 he famously refused to allow restaurant chain Chick-fil-A permission to open Boston, over the group’s donations to homophobic groups and anti-gay stance – he said the restaurant chain was “not welcome” in the city.
The former mayor was also praised for his work to combat HIV.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders said: “It is hard to imagine that LGBT people and people living with HIV could have had a more devoted and rock-solid friend than Mayor Menino.
“His policies and positions were all aimed at ensuring not only that LGBT people were welcome in Boston, but that they could participate fully and equally in the life of our city.”
Freedom to Marry added: “We mourn the loss of #Boston’s longest-serving Mayor Tom Menino, a tireless leader in the marriage movement.”
