Native son: Arizona activist Jack Jackson Jr. has championed Native American and gay causes for years. Next year he'll have a new role: lawmaker. (Behind the Headlines).

Last year Jack Jackson Jr. successfully lobbied his father, a Democratic member of the Arizona state senate, to support a statewide gay rights bill that was ultimately defeated. Next year the openly gay Jackson Jr. will have a chance to vote for the bill himself as a member of the Arizona state house. In the Democratic primary on September 10, he easily captured a nomination for one of the second district's two seats, and he is unopposed in the November general election, standing to become the first openly gay Native American elected to a state legislature.

Jackson Jr., a member of the Navajo Nation and former director of governmental affairs for the National Congress of American Indians, spoke to The Advocate about his family, gay and lesbian Native Americans, and AIDS prevention on Arizona reservations.

How do you feel about joining your father in politics?

Dad is very supportive of me as an openly gay person and in all other regards. He's a little concerned that some legislators may discriminate against me. In our own faith tradition, he offered a prayer for my protection. I'm looking forward to working with him.

How long have you been out to your father?

I came out to my family at 19; I'm 43 now. Like most families, they were concerned. But as time went on and they realized that it's just a part of who I am, they were very accepting.

There were 10 openly gay candidates for different offices in the Arizona state primaries; six survived. But not Steve May, a Republican who had earned a national reputation as an advocate for gay causes.

I'm really sad Steve lost. I had lobbied him as a representative of several tribes on gaming issues. He became the anchor on the Republican side not just on gay issues but Native American ones as well. Steve took the time to really understand Native American issues, which is rare. I hope he will be back.

Another unsuccessful candidate, Republican Thom Von Hapsburg, said he was harassed after a local right-wing newsletter denounced him for being gay.

Thom was running in a district in northern Phoenix. It was downright ugly. Fortunately, I escaped that kind of situation. My district [encompassing the city of Flagstaff and most of northeastern Arizona], which is predominantly Native American, has more pressing concerns than worrying about the sexual orientation of its representatives. It just never came up here.

You have also worked as an AIDS lobbyist. What are the obstacles to HIV prevention among Native Americans?

The epidemic on the reservations is largely ignored. I want to see the federal government and the state do a lot more to overcome the isolation of the reservations. The prevention messages that work for the general population don't necessarily work among Native Americans, especially gay ones.

How so?

Well, there are 562 federally recognized tribes, and they're all very distinct from one another. As many tribes as there are, there are that many varying ideas of what being gay is--or isn't. Many Native Americans who are in same-sex relationships don't necessarily identify as gay. In Navajo culture, for example, there's really no definition of gay but there is the concept of "two-spiritedness": a person who bridges the gap between male and female. I'd like to see [AIDS prevention programs] tailored more carefully to their specific needs. If the Native American and gay communities can join forces here, we can accomplish a lot.

What's your ultimate goal?

I want to be a role model, and not just in the state. I want to be a visible advocate for young gays and lesbians coming off the reservation. They face tremendous poverty and unemployment and drug and alcohol abuse. They commit suicide in alarming numbers. If they see an openly gay person like me working for them, it might help improve their sense of self-esteem. At least that's what I hope.