pérez is openly gay and the first openly lgbt speaker of the california state assembly. after minnesota's allan spear, he is the second lgbt person elected to lead a state legislative chamber. his election as speaker preceded the february 2010 election of gordon d. fox, an openly gay democrat, to be speaker of the rhode island house of representatives, though fox took office immediately and pérez did not take office until march 1. pérez was the 2nd openly gay person appointed to the university of california board of regents. the first was sheldon andelson, board member of the los angeles gay and lesbian community services center, who was appointed in 1980, also by then-governor jerry brown.