Kate Brown is an American politician and attorney. She served as the 38th governor of Oregon from 2015–2023 and was the first openly bisexual one. She has also served in the Oregon House of Representatives, the Oregon Senate, and was the Oregon Secretary of State.
Born on a US Air Force based Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain, where her father was serving as an ophthalmologist, Brown later grew up in Minnesota. She went on to earn her J.D. in environment law from Lewis & Clark College Law School.
Brown made history several times throughout her time in public office. She was the first openly LGBT person elected to the secretary of state in 2008. When she became governor in 2016, she once again made history, this time as the first openly LGBT governor in the United States.
.@TuckerCarlson, that’s what bisexual means.
To every bisexual person out there struggling to explain to your friends and family who you are and who you love: you are not alone. Don’t let the bullies stop you from being true to yourself. You might even be a governor someday. https://t.co/pUaqJICsld
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) August 26, 2021
Brown has received many awards and honorable mentions since she has been in office, including Woman of Achievement Award from the Oregon Commission for Women, National Public and Community Service Award from the American Mental Health Counselors Association, President’s Award of Merit from the Oregon State Bar, NBC Out #Pride30 list, one of the nine runners-up for The Advocate‘s Person of the Year, and has a profile in Courage by Basic Rights Oregon.