Last week, Brunswick, Maine’s town council chose who they believe to be their youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ chair.

Reports Bangor Daily News:

The council unanimously chose former vice chair and Councilor-at-large Nathan MacDonald as the new council chair. Jennifer Hicks, the District 5 councilor, will serve as vice chair.

MacDonald said during Monday’s meeting that he plans to lead with “care, openness and respect.”

“I am truly honored by the trust my colleagues have placed on me today,” MacDonald said. “I am, to the best of my knowledge, both the youngest person to serve as chair and the first out queer person to hold this role. For the first time, this council is a majority women. We have two renters at this table and we bring a wide range of professional and lived experience to this work.”

MacDonald’s predecessor, Sande Updegraph of District 4, stepped down from the council at the end of 2025. Her council seat was filled in a November special election by Corinne Perreault.

MacDonald was first elected in 2023 and is the director of the Family Violence Project. He has focused on housing and affordability issues throughout his time on the council.

Read the complete Bangor Daily News story here.

Not a subscriber?  Sign up today for a free subscription to Boston Spirit magazine, New England’s premier LGBT magazine.  We will send you a copy of Boston Spirit 6 times per year and we never sell/rent our subscriber information.  Click HERE to sign up!