Gerry Studds, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Gerry Studds

American politician

Date of Birth: 12-May-1937

Place of Birth: Mineola, New York, United States

Date of Death: 14-Oct-2006

Profession: teacher, politician, legislative assistant, campaign manager, Foreign Service officer

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Gerry Eastman Studds (; May 12, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts who served from 1973 until 1997.
He was the first openly gay member of Congress.
In 1983 he was censured by the House of Representatives after he admitted to a consensual relationship with a 17-year-old page. Studds was re-elected to the House six more times after the 1983 censure.
He fought for many issues, including environmental and maritime issues, same-sex marriage, AIDS funding, and civil rights, particularly for gays and lesbians.
Studds was an outspoken opponent of the Strategic Defense Initiative missile defense system, which he considered wasteful and ineffective, and he criticized the United States government's secretive support for the Contra fighters in Nicaragua.