A leader on our side: the selection of house minority leader Nancy Pelosi ensures gay rights will stay on the agenda. (Congress).

Democrats may have had a rough Election Day in November, but for many gay rights advocates, the silver lining in the cloud was the subsequent promotion on November 14 of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to House minority leader. Pelosi, whose home district includes much of San Francisco, is considered one of the House's staunchest supporters of gay rights and a leader on HIV/AIDS issues since she arrived on Capitol Hill in 1987. Many gay rights advocates hailed Pelosi's ascension as a positive sign for gay rights. Her appointment is "a ratification of our politics ... and evidence of how solidly Democrats are committed to gay causes," said Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

While that may be true, there is some concern that Pelosi could be a liability for her party. Some conservatives, noting that Pelosi was opposed in her race by Harold Ford of Tennessee--a more moderate Democrat--have called her a "San Francisco liberal" who is out of touch with mainstream America If Pelosi's appointment alienates enough conservative Democrats in the South, pundits say, they could be persuaded to switch parties, enlarging the GOP majority.

Still, Pelosi remains undeterred, telling The Washington Post, "When people say `San Francisco liberal,' are they talking about protecting the environment, educating the American children, building economic success? No, they are talking about gay people. Well, I ... believe all people are God's children. And the last time I checked, that included gay people."

Winnie Stachelberg, political director of the Washington, D.C.-based gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, said people will be surprised by Pelosi's ability to unite the different factions of the Democratic Party. She's also confident that Pelosi will use her position to bring more conservative Democrats over to gay rights causes. "She's an incredible messenger about the discrepancies that exist" regarding gay and lesbian equality and "will be able to open the eyes and ears of people" inside and outside the party, Stachelberg said. "She's never [ignored] her roots--being from the city of San Francisco and what that means."