Elaine Noble
Encyclopedia
Elaine Noble is an American politician
and LGBT activist who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
for two terms starting in January 1975. She was the first openly lesbian
or gay
candidate elected to a state legislature. She served two terms as representative for the Fenway-Kenmore
/Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston
.
Noble gained her Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree
from Boston University
and went on to study at Boston University, Emerson College
and Harvard University
. Before entering politics she worked as a speech instructor and an advertising manager. She was involved in LGBT rights activism in Boston.
In 1974 she was elected to the state House of Representatives with 59% of the vote. She has described the campaign as "very ugly": it included her windows being shot in, her car being destroyed, her campaign headquarters having their windows broken and her supporters suffering serious harassment. Nevertheless, she was successful and was sworn into office on New Year's Day
1975 by governor Michael Dukakis
. Her election made her the first openly LGBT candidate elected to a state-level office in the United States; the second, after Kathy Kozachenko
, to be elected to office; and the third openly LGBT elected official overall (Kozachenko's predecessor, Nancy Wechsler, having come out while in office but not publicly known to be lesbian at the time she was elected).
In March 1977, she was part of the first delegation of gay men and lesbians invited to the White House
under President Jimmy Carter
to discuss issues important to the LGBT community. After two terms in the House of Representatives, Noble ran for the United States Senate
in 1978. She was one of five Democrats who competed in the primary, finishing fifth with 52,464 votes (5.8%). She later went to work for Kevin White who was Boston mayor at the time. Whilst working for White's office, Noble became involved in an FBI investigation in which she had to testify in front of a grand jury
for nineteen hours. No charges were brought against Noble. In the 1990s she unsuccessfully ran for Cambridge, Massachusetts
city council.
In 1986 Noble and Ellen Ratner
formed a LGBT alcohol and drug treatment center in Minneapolis called the Pride Institute. More recently she has worked as a healthcare administrator and a realtor.
In 2009, she made a rare fundraising appearing at "Pride" gala benefiting Palm Beach, Florida
's LGBT center.
in the 1970s and has since retained privacy regarding her personal life. She lives in Florida.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and LGBT activist who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
for two terms starting in January 1975. She was the first openly lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
or gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
candidate elected to a state legislature. She served two terms as representative for the Fenway-Kenmore
Fenway-Kenmore
Fenway–Kenmore is an official neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. While it is considered one neighborhood for administrative purposes, it is composed of numerous distinct sections and in casual conversation are almost always referred to as "Fenway," "Kenmore Square," or "Kenmore."...
/Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
Noble gained her Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
and went on to study at Boston University, Emerson College
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Before entering politics she worked as a speech instructor and an advertising manager. She was involved in LGBT rights activism in Boston.
In 1974 she was elected to the state House of Representatives with 59% of the vote. She has described the campaign as "very ugly": it included her windows being shot in, her car being destroyed, her campaign headquarters having their windows broken and her supporters suffering serious harassment. Nevertheless, she was successful and was sworn into office on New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
1975 by governor Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
. Her election made her the first openly LGBT candidate elected to a state-level office in the United States; the second, after Kathy Kozachenko
Kathy Kozachenko
In April 1974, Kathy Kozachenkos successful bid for a seat on the Ann Arbor, Michigan city council made her the first openly gay or lesbian candidate to run successfully for political office in the United States....
, to be elected to office; and the third openly LGBT elected official overall (Kozachenko's predecessor, Nancy Wechsler, having come out while in office but not publicly known to be lesbian at the time she was elected).
In March 1977, she was part of the first delegation of gay men and lesbians invited to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
under President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
to discuss issues important to the LGBT community. After two terms in the House of Representatives, Noble ran for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1978. She was one of five Democrats who competed in the primary, finishing fifth with 52,464 votes (5.8%). She later went to work for Kevin White who was Boston mayor at the time. Whilst working for White's office, Noble became involved in an FBI investigation in which she had to testify in front of a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
for nineteen hours. No charges were brought against Noble. In the 1990s she unsuccessfully ran for Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
city council.
In 1986 Noble and Ellen Ratner
Ellen Ratner
Ellen Ratner is a news analyst on the Fox News Channel and appears on The Strategy Room and The Long and Short of It. She is also White House Correspondent and Bureau Chief for the Talk Radio News Service, covering the White House and is heard on over 400 radio stations across the US...
formed a LGBT alcohol and drug treatment center in Minneapolis called the Pride Institute. More recently she has worked as a healthcare administrator and a realtor.
In 2009, she made a rare fundraising appearing at "Pride" gala benefiting Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
's LGBT center.
Personal life
Noble had a relationship with writer Rita Mae BrownRita Mae Brown
Rita Mae Brown is an American writer. She is best known for her first novel Rubyfruit Jungle. Published in 1973, it dealt with lesbian themes in an explicit manner unusual for the time...
in the 1970s and has since retained privacy regarding her personal life. She lives in Florida.