The film star and Republican political newcomer coasted on a wave of voter discontent to win election in 2003 following the recall of Governor Gray Davis. At the time, he was largely an unknown entity when it came to gay issues.

He has confounded his LGBT supporters and detractors ever since.

He later appointed Susan Kennedy, an out lesbian Democrat, as his chief of staff, and numerous other LGBT people to high profile positions in his administration, the courts, and various state oversight panels. And he signed into law 42 bills backed by the statewide LGBT advocacy group Equality California, the most of any governor in the state's history.

His signatures on a series of bills aimed at strengthening anti-discrimination laws for LGBT residents introduced by openly gay former Assemblyman John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) paved the way for several pro-gay court victories in matters dealing with gay parents and access to health care services.

Schwarzenegger also proved amenable to changing his position over time. At first opposed to the use of state funds to pay for clean needle exchange programs, considered a key tool in the fight against HIV transmission, he relented and signed into law bills allowing the money to be used for such purposes.