Elaine Noble

Elaine Noble (born January 22, 1944) 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 and Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston.

Early life and education Elaine Noble was born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, on January 22, 1944. Noble earned her B.F.A degree from BU in 1966, an M.S. in speech and education at Emerson College in 1970, and an M.Ed. at Harvard University in 1974. At Emerson, she served as an Emerson Homophile Arts Society advisor and co-director of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus. After graduation, she worked at a job-year women's school where she came out as a lesbian. Noble helped organize Boston's early Pride marches. With Ann Lewis, sister of former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts Barney Frank, Noble formed the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus and served on the Governor's Commission on the Status of Women.

Political career Massachusetts House of Representatives

In 1974, Noble was elected to the state House of Representatives for the 6th Suffolk district with 59% of the vote. Her election made her the first openly LGBT candidate elected to a state-level office in the United States. She was sworn into office on New Year's Day 1975 by governor Michael Dukakis.

As an educator, Noble supported desegregation of Boston public schools. She encouraged her campaigners to oversee school pick-ups and drop-offs for children in her district. She was the only white member of the Boston delegation that rode school busses with the children. Her support angered her constituents, both conservative as well as gay and lesbian, who expected her to focus solely on gay and lesbian issues. Her house was vandalized and she was threatened with a gun. She also felt burdened and frustrated by the demands of gay men and lesbians who seemed to expect that she speak for all of them. She said, "The gay community expected me to be on call 24 hours a day. It was like they felt they owned me."

Noble was re-elected in 1976 with almost 90% of the vote, and her second two-year term started on January 1, 1977.

1978 United States Senate campaign After two terms in the Massachusetts House, Noble ran for the United States Senate in 1978. Her campaign received endorsements from United States House Speaker Tip O'Neill and his son, Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Thomas P. O'Neill III. She finished last out of five Democrats who competed in the primary, with 52,464 votes (5.8%). She did not run for re-election to the House.

Later work in politics She later went to work for Mayor of Boston Kevin White. Noble was required to testify in front of a grand jury for nineteen hours in connection with an FBI investigation into bribery in the mayor's office. No charges were brought against Noble.

Despite some policy differences, including on abortion, Noble endorsed Francis X. Bellotti as Democratic candidate in the 1990 Massachusetts gubernatorial race.

Retirement from public life In 1994, Noble took work as head administrator at Middlesex County Hospital but resigned after six months.

Noble's successful election in 1974 inspired Minnesota Senator Allan Spear to come out as gay while in-office, making him the first male legislator in the United States to do so.