The nation’s transgender community, after a year of tremendous opposition from state legislatures and the president, is rejoicing Tuesday over the election of Andrea Jenkins, who gender advocates say has made history as the first openly transgender black woman elected to public office in the United States. Jenkins, who has been elected to the Minneapolis City Council, became the second openly transgender candidate to win a race Tuesday night. Democrat Danica Roem is poised to be
the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature in the country, beating a 13-term Virginia incumbent who called himself the state’s “chief homophobe” and who introduced a “bathroom bill” earlier this year that would have restricted the bathrooms his opponent could use. Jenkins, 56, said she believes her and Roem’s victories are proof many of the nation’s communities won’t succumb to hatred, bigotry or transphobia — and are willing to fight for social justice and equality for all minority groups. READ MORE
