Gerald (Jerry) C. DeGrieck is a public health manager and policy advisor in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...

. He and Nancy Wechsler served together on the Ann Arbor City Council, 1972–1974, while they were graduate students at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. In 1973, they simultaneously became the first openly gay elected officials in the United States.

Ann Arbor City Council

DeGrieck and Wechsler were elected to the Ann Arbor City Council as members of the Human Rights Party on April 3, 1972. Political observers did not believe the third party had much chance of winning any seats, but the party's radical platform appealed to young voters and beat university professors running as Democrats in the 1st and 2nd wards. At the time of their election, DeGrieck and Wechsler were 22-year-old history students at

, the first student members of the city council. In 1973, DeGrieck and Wechsler became the first openly gay male and openly lesbian elected officials in the United States when they came out together, at a press conference held in response to a

homophobic Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, Gay men, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or ant ...

incident at a local restaurant. After finishing his term in 1974, DeGrieck moved to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, where he went on to be active in LGBTQ politics and worked in a variety of health and human services positions in local government. He eventually became a public health manager and policy advisor to the City of Seattle. He retired in 2021 from his Deputy Division Director position in the King County Department of Public Health.

Personal life

DeGrieck had a daughter, born in 1981, and a son, born in 1990, with lesbian friends, and coparented with his long-term male partner. He has not sought elected political office since his term on the Ann Arbor City Council, but has remained politically active in LGBTQ politics and progressive causes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:DeGrieck, Jerry American gay politicians LGBTQ rights activists from Washington (state) Politicians from Ann Arbor, Michigan Politicians from Seattle American LGBTQ city council members Michigan city council members Living people Human Rights Party (United States) politicians LGBTQ rights activists from Michigan University of Michigan alumni Year of birth missing (living people)