Overlooked in the coverage of Gordon Fox's imminent ascension to the speakership of the Rhode Island House is how Fox appears poised to become the first openly gay speaker in the United States.

John A. Perez is California's openly gay speaker-elect, but he's not due to be sworn in until March 1. Meanwhile, Dennis Dison of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund in Washington, DC, was unaware of any previous openly gay speakers in the US. The closest figure Dison could think of the late Allan Spear, a former president of the Minnesota Senate.

As I report in a profile of Fox to be broadcast tomorrow morning, his rise reflects how quickly the political landscape has changed in RI regarding openly gay elected officials.

It was just eight years ago, in 2002, that some thought Providence voters would never elect an openly gay mayor. David Cicilline's decisive primary victory punched holes in that theory, and Fox came out the very next year.