SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, the first lesbian to lead a house of the California Legislature, said Tuesday that more work needs to be done to promote tolerance of gays and lesbians, especially in rural America.

The San Diego Democrat, a native of Appalachia, told attendees at the She Shares women’s leadership conference in the state capital that the “most profound” way of advancing equality is coming out and taking small actions that validate being gay.