The first openly gay mayor of a town in Oklahoma resigned Monday, citing an increase in threats to his personal safety in a letter to the town’s city manager.
The Village Mayor Adam Graham, a Democrat who was elected in May, said he has been followed home from meetings, threatened while walking his dog, harassed in a coffee shop, and had his tires slashed.
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“Unfortunately, these malicious bad-faith attacks are escalating and I no longer feel safe to serve in my capacity as mayor,” Graham said in the letter posted to Twitter. “It’s with a heavy-heart that I tender my resignation effective immediately.”
Graham served as The Village’s mayor, located near Oklahoma City, for nearly five years, including as vice mayor for two years. Graham said he fought against prejudice at “every step,” including fighting against ageism, homophobia, and racism. The city manager confirmed Graham’s resignation to NBC News.
The Village Police Department had not been aware of any reports of threats or harassment against Graham but would take any reports from him seriously, law enforcement officials told NBC.
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Graham was one of six elected officials in the state who were part of the LGBT community and was the only openly gay mayor, according to a report from the LGBTQ Victory Institute’s Out for America annual analysis.
