Barney Frank, Gay Pioneer and Liberal Stalwart in Congress, Dies at 86
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Barney Frank, a former Massachusetts representative and prominent gay politician, died at age 86 in Ogunquit, Maine, after entering hospice care for congestive heart failure.
- Frank served as a liberal Democrat in the House for 32 years starting in 1981, representing a diverse suburban Boston district.
- He was the first member of the House to voluntarily come out as gay in 1987, helping to normalize being openly gay in public life.
- Frank was a key author of the most significant overhaul of U.S. financial regulations since the Great Depression.