Turns out, love does trump everything else. With state and gubernatorial (for mayors and governors) elections underway in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City, the Democrats have come out all guns blazing.
In Virginia, Danica Roem, an openly out transgender woman just became the elected representative of the House of Delegates. She winnowed out GOP’s veteran politician, Bob Marshall, who ironically championed the anti-trans bathroom bill, refused to debate with Danica and would not address her with the pronoun of her choice, ‘she’. Bob had previously won 13 times and served over 26 years as the state representative. He lost to Roam’s 54.59% votes with his 45.36% tally.
HISTORY IS BEING MADE TONIGHT! Danica Roem and Andrea Jenkins has been elected as America’s first transgender state legislator and city councilwoman respectively #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/Hztqkv4qmz
— \ˈtō-nē\ (@antcway) November 8, 2017
Before you point out, no, Danica isn’t the first transperson to be elected to a state legislature. That honour goes to Althea Garrison (Massachusetts) who came out as trans post the win.
Danica isn’t the only one from the LGBT community on the winning list. Joining her is the Andrea Jenkins, the first trans-woman of colour to ever win a public office in the history of the United States. Jenkins fought and won from Minneapolis’ Ward 8.
Andrea has previously worked with Council VP Elizabeth Glidden in the capacity of a policy aide. A poet, historian and performance artist, Jenkins is dedicated to the cause of the marginalised, irrespective of their gender identity or expression.
Twitterati, predictably, applauded the two and showered their full support to the elected policymakers:
The man who wrote the anti-trans bathroom bill just lost the election to a trans woman. Let that sink in. https://t.co/KFEZXSYvMy
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) November 8, 2017
Trans woman Danica Roem (D) just defeated anti-LGBTQ candidate Bob Marshall (R) in Virginia, becoming the first trans state legislator in America.
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) November 8, 2017
When Black trans women win, everyone wins. #TransFolksCanWin https://t.co/oIvFqwNLhz
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) November 8, 2017
Two historic wins tonight. Let this just be the beginning #TransFolksCanWin
— Zac Wolf (@thezwolfie) November 8, 2017
One of the worst anti-LGBT lawmakers in America — someone who has held his seat for more than two decades — just got beat by a trans woman.
We. Will. Replace. You.
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) November 8, 2017
So proud of movement auntie, Andrea Jenkins, who became the first openly trans woman of color elected to the city council of a major U.S. city. She’ll represent Ward 8 of Minneapolis! So much history being made tonight! #AJ4W8 #TransFolksCanWin #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/AJqvDt9E7q
— Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) November 8, 2017
Althea Garrison was first in 1992, making Danica Roem the first voluntarily out trans state legislator to be elected in the U.S. https://t.co/jlmaYpy7VK
— haralson apple bitch (@patienceinbee) November 8, 2017
Recently, in yet another win for the LGBTQ+, a federal court blocked US President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender military service.
