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Andrea Jenkins Is the First Openly Trans Black Woman Elected to Public Office
A huge, huge win for Democrats, POC, and LGBTQ folks across the US!
Danica Roem wasn’t the only transgender elected official voted into office last night. Andrea Jenkins was elected to Minneapolis City Council, making her the first transgender person elected to a major city’s governing body and the first transgender person of color elected to any office in the US.
Jenkins, who’s 56, said she believes her and Roem’s victories are proof that numerous communities in the United States will not give into bigotry, ignorance, hatred, white-supremecy, and anti-LGBTQ sentiments.
"Transgender people have been here forever, and black transgender people have been here forever," Jenkins told The Washington Post following her election night win. "I’m really proud to have achieved that status, and I look forward to more trans people joining me in elected office, and all other kinds of leadership roles in our society."
This is a huge win for LGBTQ people, people of color, and folks of all races/sexualities who fight against racism and bigotry.
Most of Twitter responded to her win with optimism and excitement.
\u201cSo 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\u2019ll represent Ward 8 of Minneapolis! So much history being made tonight! #AJ4W8 #TransFolksCanWin #ElectionDay\u201d— Raquel Willis (@Raquel Willis) 1510105753
\u201cHOLD UP! DON'T IGNORE BLACK TRANS WOMEN TONIGHT! #AndreaJenkins is one of the first openly trans women to win a seat on a city council, PERIOD! Make her trend worldwide tonight as well! \u270a\ud83c\udfff \n\n#BlackTransLivesMatter\u201d— Ernest Owens (@Ernest Owens) 1510113865
\u201cMillenials are killing the "old transphobic white politician" industry #DanicaRoem #AndreaJenkins\u201d— Divine Alchemist of the Self (@Divine Alchemist of the Self) 1510116090
\u201cOh hey Minneapolis, we see you too, electing one of the first trans women to city council - #AndreaJenkins \ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udffe\u270a\ud83c\udffe\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\u201d— British LGBT Awards (@British LGBT Awards) 1510125447
Congrats again Andrea, and thank you again for all the hard work you have done and will surely continue to do!
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Zachary Zane is a writer, YouTube influencer, and activist whose work focuses on (bi)sexuality, gender, dating, relationships, and identity politics. Check out his YouTube channel here.
Zachary Zane is a writer, YouTube influencer, and activist whose work focuses on (bi)sexuality, gender, dating, relationships, and identity politics. Check out his YouTube channel here.
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