Positive Results

Regardless of all the anti LGBTQ hatred being spewed from the White House, there were positive results in elections this week.  In Kentucky, the home of such notables as Moscow Mitch McConnell, the Democratic nominee for governor managed to narrowly defeat the solidly trumper Republican incumbent. Which hopefully bodes well for the upcoming presidential election.

Around the country, After a string of successful general and special elections, the number of LGBTQ elected officials in the U.S. today stands at 698 — the highest number ever, and an increase of nearly 25 percent over last year, according to the Victory Institute, which tracks openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer elected officials.

While in Virginia:

From the New York Post:" Danica Roem, the first openly transgender person to be elected and serve in a state legislature, was reelected to her Virginia seat on Tuesday.

Roem, a Democrat, bested her Republican opponent Kelly McGinn by a 57-43 margin.

When she was elected in 2017, Roem beat a longtime GOP delegate who led efforts to restrict bathrooms to transgender people.

Her opponent that year, Robert Marshall, sponsored a “Physical Privacy Act,” which was modeled after controversial bathroom legislation passed in North Carolina in 2016.

“Danica inspired trans people across the nation to run for office,” Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund said in a statement."

Reasons being given for the increase are more people are running, more are getting elected and more are coming out of the closet who are already serving. 

Now all we need is a solid front from the "L,G and B's" to help the "T's" in our struggles.

More Transgender Power?

From the Washington Blade, these are the sort of transgender stories I love to share!

"When Danica Roem takes the oath of office in Virginia’s statehouse on Jan. 10, the country will finally have an LGBT legislative caucus where the “T” isn’t simply aspirational. For her historic accomplishment, Roem deserves the acclaim and unmitigated respect of the entire LGBT community. Not only did she demonstrate great courage in running as an openly trans candidate against a 13-term incumbent, but in defeating Robert Marshall she banished from public office a man who had brazenly styled himself “chief homophobe” of the Old Dominion.

From across the Potomac, we Marylanders who have long hoped to put the “T” in our own caucus, will find the day to be bittersweet as well. On Jan. 10, the Maryland General Assembly will commence yet another session without a trans lawmaker.

If we choose to do so, however, we can make it the last.

At the end of session, Sen. Rich Madaleno – in his pursuit of the governorship – will be vacating the Senate seat representing Montgomery County’s 18th Legislative District. Longtime trans activist and local political operative, Dr. Dana Beyer, has announced that she will run to succeed him."

For more, follow the link above!

Nothing Happens in a Vacuum

2017 marked a huge year for transgender candidate's nationwide. Most of those victories just didn't happen in a vacuum.

Here is more from The Advocate:

"In the wake of the 2016 elections — and subsequent attacks on transgender rights — a group of pioneering trans activists decided that getting more trans candidates on the ballot would be more impactful than checking one off. Together they formed the Trans United Fund, the first and only national political advocacy group focused on empowering trans and gender expansive people. Its Breakthrough Fund is the first bipartisan transgender political action committee (PAC) and was designed to help a handful of key political candidates by providing funding or other resources — sometimes both.

In the 2017 elections, TUF won big: Virginia’s Danica Roem became the first transgender woman in the United States to win a seat in a state legislature, and two trans candidates were elected to the Minneapolis City Council. Andrea Jenkins became the first out trans black woman, and Phillipe Cunningham became the first out trans black man elected to public office.

If it weren’t for the money TUF raised, the connections and resources it provided, or the voter mobilization it spearheaded, it’s quite likely these trans candidates would not have won"

For more, go here.

More Victories

As we celebrated the political victories yesterday of Danica Roem in Virginia and Andrea Jenkins in Minneapolis, we neglected to mention four other transgender winning candidates across the country:

Tyler Titus, Erie Pa. School Board
Lisa Middleton, Palm Springs Ca. City Council
Stephe Koontz, Doraville, Ga. City Council
and
Gerri Cannon, NH. School Board

It seems some of these victories had their basis with the help and guidance of the LGBT "Victory Institute" and it's "Victory Fund."

Now comes the hard part for all of these winners, fulfilling the promises they made during the election process.

These days, a very jaded and restless populace is tired of waiting on the screwed up mess upper level politicians have made of our government to be fixed.

As you probably noted from the list, most of these winners are on the very grass root level of government. Where change needs to start!

The Transgender Glass Ceiling Came Crashing Down!

Last night was a big breakthrough evening for transgender women and trans men everywhere, thanks to several mid term election victories.

Details from the Washington Blade: LAKE RIDGE, Va. —" Danica Roem on Tuesday soundly defeated Virginia state Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William County) in a race that garnered national attention.

With 100 percent of precincts in the 13th District reporting, Roem defeated Marshall by a 54-45 percent margin.

Roem, a former journalist, will become the first openly transgender person seated in any state legislature in the country once she is sworn into the Virginia House of Delegates in January.

Althea Garrison in 1992 became the first trans person elected to a state legislature in the U.S. when she won a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, but she did not publicly discuss her gender identity during the campaign. Stacie Laughton in 2012 became the first openly trans person elected to a state legislature when she won a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, but she later ended her bid to sit in the chamber after convictions for credit card and identity fraud became public.

Andrea Jenkins, who is a trans woman of color, on Tuesday was elected to the Minneapolis City Council."

Jenkin's (who I have had the pleasure to see speak) Is a very accomplished author, play wright and activst.  Jenkins most recently was awarded a Bush Fellowship as well as a Fellowship in the Cultural Community Leadership Institute at Intermedia Arts and was named a fellow in the Many Voices Fellowship at the Playwrights Center, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

What a night! Follow the links for more.

Another Halloween

Well, another Halloween has come and gone, and I hope yours was enjoyable.

Maybe this was the year you decided to throw caution to the wind and wear that "Wonder Woman" costume you have been fantasizing about, or just dressed feminine business casual for work. If it was the first time, maybe you discovered more about your femininity than you ever thought possible, or you found out how bad heels can feel if you wear them for extended periods of time.

If you were like me during my early cross dressing days, Halloween left me thirsting for more time dressed in public. Even to the point of considering coming up with some sort of Christmas Elf costume and looking for Santa's lap during the holidays.

Whatever the case, I ended up passing out candy during our local "Trick or Treat" time by myself until Liz got home from work. Even though we did fairly well with the number of kids who came by, I was not able to discern any cross dressing kids.

Now it's off to the barrage of Christmas movies and ad's on television and elsewhere.

Dana Beyer

In other transgender related news, we now have at least two trans women running for political office! Dana Beyer is running in Maryland for Senate, joining Danica Roem in Virginia. (House of Delegates.)

So, if you are fortunate enough to be able to lend your support this election day, don't forget our candidates!

Plus, sooner more than later one of the transgender candidates is going to break through for a victory.

Also, as you may already read, a federal court judge has temporarily blocked the Cheeto's transgender troop ban.  I am sure he is so busy circling the wagons lately,with his other huge problems,  he has barely noticed.

Trans Pride!!!!

 Danica Roem to Battle LGBT bigot in Virginia for Congressional Seat! 

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Pride Month feels more important than ever given our current political climate — so the news that a transgender woman just made political history is especially exciting and meaningful. On Tuesday, 32-year-old Danica Roem secured the Democratic nomination for the 13th District seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates. Roem is running against incumbent Bob Marshall, a Republican who is known for his anti-LGBTQ policies. He once referred to transgender individuals as “gender confused,” and spearheaded an amendment that placed a ban on same-sex marriage in the state constitution in Virginia. 

Way to go Virginia and Danica!