Atlanta Councilmember: I Am 'A Proud Member' Of LGBT Community

ATLANTA — Matt Westmoreland, who is beginning his third term as an Atlanta City Councilmember, announced Sunday he would take the oath of office "as a proud member of our LGBTQ+ community."

Westmoreland is the Post 2 at-large member of Atlanta City Council. He was formerly the District 3 representative for the Atlanta Board of Education.

"I wrestled with the decision to post this note," Westmoreland wrote on Twitter. "The fact that the content is so personal. The desire to live in a world where such pronouncements aren’t necessary. The fear that who I chose to be with would change how people view me or my public service.

"But the former teacher and school board member in me has been thinking about our students who have ever struggled to accept themselves for who they are. And, frankly, has found inspiration in our students who allow their authentic selves to shine brightly for all to see.

"In the end, I wanted to be true to myself-- and to you. While the road to deeper self understanding may vary in length and time, I am grateful for the support of family and friends while I undertook my own work over the last several months to embrace my own identity."