We always remember our firstexperiences. In 1976, I had my first experience casting a ballot for the president of the United States.James EarlJimmyCarter Jr. (1924- 2024) an engineer, a former naval officer, a humble peanut farmer, and a born-again Christian was a welcome candidate after the disgraceful fall and resignation ofPresident Richard M. Nixon for the lying and covering- up of the Watergate scandal.Carter got my vote when he told the American people,Ill never tell a lie. Ill never make a misleading statement. Ill never betray the confidence that any of you had in me. Here are just some of the stunning biographical details that illustrate why I supported him then and why his spirit still matters to me and so many others today. Related Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. He invited the first gay activists to the White House He was the first president to take positive and concrete steps toward acknowledging the importance of gay rights. Jimmy was a Baptist who balanced democracy and personal belief Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Carter grew up as a Southern Baptist and was the first U. S. president to announce unabashedly he was a born again Christian. Heproselytized his ideas with folksinger Bob Dylan. He also applied his ideals across religious lines in 1978 when brokering peacebetweenIsraeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadatin the Camp David Accords.In 1976, Carter owed his presidentialvictory to White evangelical Christian voters. They lauded Carter because he didnt play down his Christianity but lived out loudhis meaning of being a born-again Christianentering American politics. During his presidential run, Carter unapologetically told The New York Times, If there are those who dont want to vote for me because Im a deeply committed Christian, I believe they should vote for someone else.Carter taught Sunday School for decades, andCartersfavorite Bible verse was from Micah 6:8. Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. He lived by it! Carter upheldthe total separation of church and state. He opposedpublic money andtax exemptions for religious schools and institutions. He discontinued the tradition of inviting evangelicals to conduct White House prayer services, aonce cozy niche for prominent evangelicals likeRev. Billy Graham, who he admired.However, if Jimmy Carter were running for president today, they would consider him a heretic and excommunicate him for his stances on Christian nationalism, white supremacy, reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, Palestine, and interpretation of scripture, among others. Jimmy Carter was an enlightened son of a segregationistCarter, a Georgian like many of the civil rights leaders of his era, wasnt involved in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, never confronted his fatherspro-Confederateviews nor hisdenominations support of slavery, normet with Martin Luther King Jr.Carter never did anything racist himself. But he didnt participate, Carters biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. And King was right there.However, to the shock of his white evangelical base and the awe of the black voters, Carter,at his inauguration, issued an edict: The time for racial discrimination is over.Carter appointed the first Black woman to serve in a presidential Cabinetand the first Black man to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Andrew Young, a Civil Rights Movement icon. He also formed a relationship with Kings family during his presidency. Jimmy Carter was an LGBTQ+ ally who grew with the timesDuring Carters administration, he was concerned aboutLGBTQ+ issues, like employment discrimination. After his presidency, he advocated abolishing Dont Ask, Dont Tell, the militarys ban on out LGBTQ+ service members.As an honest man, Carter was candid about his struggle with marriage equality. But he leaned into his faith to guide him. In 2005, an Advocate reporter asked him why he had no problem with gays and lesbians like many Christians.Im a worshipper of Jesus Christ, who never mentioned homosexuals in any way certainly not in a [damaging] fashion, Carter replied.In 2015, in response to the Supreme CourtsObergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states, Carter publicly gave a shoutout of approval.I think Jesus would encourage any love affair if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else, he toldHuffPost Live. I believe Jesus would approve of gay marriage. Jimmy Carter walked the talkFaith was foundational to Carters politics. However, his faith-driven public service bloomed after his presidency; he became the quintessential statesman and the nations greatest ex-president.Like many Americans, I hold Carter in high regard. I liked his calm demeanor and balanced approach in difficult conversations and heated debates. He was not an alarmist but a measured man, thoughtful in his actions and responses. I admired the type of man he walked in the world.Im glad President Jimmy Carter was my first.May he rest in peace.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.