Larry McKeon Tribute

Larry McKeon, Illinois' first openly gay legislator and an advocate for expanding state discrimination laws to cover gay people, has died at age 63.

The biggest achievement of his 10 years in the Illinois House was adding the words "sexual orientation" to the state law banning discrimination against people for jobs, housing, public accommodations or credit.

McKeon was HIV positive and had battled cancer, but Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie said his death apparently was the result of a stroke Tuesday night.

McKeon came to politics after serving in the Army and in law enforcement, rising to the rank of lieutenant in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Later, he was a college professor and administrator.

Eventually he became Chicago's liaison to gays and lesbians, helping to mend a tense relationship over allegations of police indifference to gays being harassed.

In 1991 his longtime partner, Ray Korzinski, was diagnosed with AIDS and died 12 weeks later. McKeon learned he also was HIV positive and figured he had only two or three more years to live.

"In a moment of total irrational thought, I ran for public office," he said in 2002.

After retiring from the House, McKeon served as a volunteer lobbyist for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

The Chicago Democrat said he embraced the label of gay lawmaker even when it overshadowed his other experiences. "I am the queer in the House," McKeon joked in 2002.