Obama names openly gay man to head Export-Import Bank

President-Elect Barack Obama has named an openly gay man – Fred Hochberg – to head up the nation’s Export-Import Bank.

Hochberg was the deputy head of the Small Business Administration under President Clinton.  Hochberg is quite active in Democratic and gay political circles, and a large fundraiser.

Prior to this appointment, Hochberg had been a part of the Obama transition team.

LGBT groups will likely both hail and simultaneously criticize Obama for this appointment; congratulating him on placing an openly gay man in a visible and important position, and arguing that Hochberg - or some other member(s) of the LGBT community should have been appointed to a Cabinet position.

Hopefully, this will not be the last appointment of a member of the LGBT community to the Obama administration, and, hopefully, the administration will become an aggressive proponent of equality under the law for LGBT Americans.

(Image courtesy of Getty)