Monday Morning Man: Gavin Newsom!

Happy Monday everyone!

We’ll take a break from Olympic dudes and get political with California’s handsome Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom who has been one of the great straight allies to the LGBT community.

It was 10 years ago last week that Newsom, as mayor of San Francisco, ordered that marriage licenses to be issued to same-sex couples in defiance of California laws at the time.

Even though the marriages did not stand in court, it as such a symbolic thing – we saw joyful couples get married and we knew one day it would have to be the law.

Anyway, Newsom is going to be presented with the Vanguard Award by Equality California at the Sacramento Equality Awards on March 10. It us given to leaders who push forward equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Californians.

More recently, Newsom has used his leadership position to support policies that move equality forward for LGBT Californians, including universal health care, and citizen engagement, like his CaliforniaReportCard.org, which invites residents to grade California’s implementation of marriage for same-sex couples.

“Ten years ago, when we began officiated marriages for same-sex couples in San Francisco, we were ahead of the times — now as we celebrate the anniversary of the Winter of Love, I’m glad times have caught up,” Newsom said in a statement. “But full equality means so much more now, and I’m honored to be recognized with the Vanguard Award for continuing to push for a California that will always be at the forefront of LGBT equality.”