Congress gets first gay men of colour

NEW YORK: Two New Yorkers this week became the first gay men of colour elected to the US Congress, making strides for LGBT+ rights while the US presidential candidates were locked in a close national contest.

Democrats Ritchie Torres, a openly gay black and Latino man from New York City’s Bronx borough, and Mondaire Jones, a openly gay black man from a New York City suburb, won seats in the US House of Representatives.

‘‘A wise person once said, ‘If you don’t have a seat at the table, then you’re probably on the menu’,’’ Torres said.

‘‘With Mondaire Jones and I, LGBTQ people of colour will have a seat at one of the most powerful tables, the United States Congress.’’

Their election came as a liberal ‘‘blue wave’’ that had been predicted by some pundits failed to materialise, and Republicans appeared poised to retain control of the US Senate. — Reuters