In Boston proper, there are several neighborhoods with sizable LGBT populations, with the South End being one of the most notable. Due in part to actions in Boston, especially by prominent city government officials, Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. Boston is the birthplace to the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders ( GLAD).
The nation's first openly gay state representative, Elaine Noble, was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1974.
