Human Rights Campaign head: Katie Hill’s sexuality was a factor in coverage of allegations

The president of the Human Rights Campaign said in an interview with The Hill on Thursday that former Rep. Katie Hill’s (D-Calif.) bisexuality was one of many factors that influenced the media’s coverage of allegations of inappropriate relationships with staffers against her that preceded Hill’s resignation last week.

“There are so many factors that I think informed how she was treated, which is unfortunate,” Alphonso David said. “I think certainly her being bisexual was probably a factor. We, of course, don’t have any data or evidence to support that. But we do know that people who are bisexual face discrimination every day.” 

{mosads}”So it’s not unusual or it’s not a surprise to conclude that she’s being treated differently because she’s bisexual,” he continued. “They face discrimination in the workplace. They face discrimination in housing, and here I would conclude that that was certainly a factor in how she was treated.” 

Hill, who was the first openly bisexual individual to be elected to Congress from California, announced she was resigning from her post after the conservative website RedState and the Daily Mail published nude photos of her.

In addition to the photos’ publication, reports alleged Hill had relationships with both a campaign and a legislative staffer.

Hill confirmed that she had a relationship with a woman on her campaign, but denied the relationship with a member of her legislative staff. 

Hill has blamed the allegations on Republican operatives and an “abusive” husband whom she is currently divorcing.

In her last House floor speech, Hill called out a “double standard” she said led to her resignation, referring to what she has called a misogynistic culture that works to “push a young woman out of power” while men accused of sexual crimes remain in top positions.