Hat In The Ring

A number trans people are running for office including one here in Connecticut who is running for governor.

Trump Bump? More Transgender Candidates Seek Public Office
NBC Out
By Julie Moreau PH.D.
April 25, 2017


From the reversal of Obama-era guidance on transgender protections to the appointment of an Army Secretary who implied being transgender is a "disease" and the introduction of new state "bathroom bills," discontentment with the administration of President Donald Trump and the state of local politics has led an increasing number of trans Americans to come to the conclusion that public office is the best way to ensure their rights are protected and other hard-fought progressive policies aren't rolled back.

"Tired of Waiting for Change"
The number of transgender candidates seeking public office is on the rise, according to Logan Casey, Research Analyst in Public Opinion at Harvard Opinion Research Program. The recent announcement by Utah Democrat Misty Snow of a bid for U.S Congress brings the tally to 15, according to the LGBTQ Representation and Rights Initiative. This, however, still remains "a drop in the bucket" compared to non-transgender candidates, according to Casey.

Up until now, transgender candidates have focused on running at the state, local and administrative levels, Casey noted. However, with eyes on 2018, trans candidates are not only aiming to make an impact at the local level.

So who is running?

Brianna Westbrook, 32, is running as a Democrat in Arizona's 8th Congressional District on a platform of women's rights, environmentalism and education. Westbrook, who spent the past 11 years working in car sales, describes herself as "just a normal person."

Danielle Pellett, 36, is also running for U.S. Congress as a Democrat. She is looking to oust Rep. Pete Sessions in Texas' 32nd Congressional District, which he has represented since 2002. Sessions, who serves as Chairman of the House Rules Committee, received widespread criticism for denying Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the scene of the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, was a gay club.

And here in Connecticut,

Transgender candidate running for Conn. governor
CT Post
By Neil Vigdor
March 7, 2017

Jacey Wyatt doesn’t conform to labels the way most politicians do.

She has run for local office in Branford, Conn. as a Republican and a third-party petitioning candidate.

Wyatt, who grew up as John Christian Pascarella before undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2003, is running for governor as a Democrat.

“I don’t care if people are wondering what I have under my pants,” Wyatt told Hearst Connecticut Media on Monday. “My body obviously does not look like a typical politician.”

But Wyatt, 46, a former model who was born an intersex person, said she is not running to be the face of transgender rights. Nor is she looking to take sides in the ongoing clash between Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and President Donald Trump’s administration over restroom laws, she said.

She is going to have a very uphill battle to get on the ballot, as one commenter said, “She will be known as the transgender candidate.”

Meanwhile over in the Philippines,

THE TRANSGENDER POLITICIAN FIGHTING FOR GAY RIGHTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Congresswoman Geraldine Roman’s election was a breakthrough in the devoutly Catholic country – now she hopes Manila will pass a bill to outlaw discrimination against the LGBT community and build on her success
South China Morning Post
By Ana P Santos
27 APR 2017

There is an elevated stage in the basketball court-cum-community hall that Philippine Congresswoman Geraldine Roman is using to address her constituents, but she chooses not to use it.

Instead she remains on their level, cracking jokes and singing as she outlines her local government platform – emphasising her education and livelihood programmes and underlining her commitment to a national bill that will outlaw discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

It’s an issue close to her heart, for Roman is the first transgender woman to be elected to public office in the devoutly Catholic Philippines.

How do I look sitting in
the committee co-chair seat?

When I was in grad school for my MSW I took Nancy A Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work two day Campaign School workshop and the woman there from EMILY's List tried to talk me into running for office.