New Leader Of Sacramento's Gay And Lesbian Center Is Straight

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento's gay and lesbian community has a new leader. And she's proud and loud and as straight as they come.

Shara Perkins Murphy took over as Executive Director of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center in January.

Murphy was working the crowd at today's gay pride festival 'Sacramento Pride 2012' where the center turned Capitol Mall in downtown Sacramento into "Pride Mall"

Murphy, a heterosexual woman, who was raised in Rancho Cordova, says her sexual orientation doesn't matter.

"For most of my adolescence lots of folks didn't think I was black enough. So I haven't always felt like I had a community," explained Murphy. "People here are just so accepting and loving."

She says she's a voice for equality.

"I think there's a lot of parallels between the civil right struggle of African Americans and the civil rights struggle of the LGBT community," she explained. "People should care about this because prejudice somewhere is prejudice anywhere."

And she's got a lot of support the community she is now helping.

"I'm as gay as they come," Kerry Freeman said. "Works for me the more the better straight folks that get it."

Murphy is currently spearheading a fundraising effort to start up new programs at the center and expand those already in place.