In the current political climate, Pride Month feels more pertinent and important than ever.
Following the first months of Donald Trump's presidency, which has seen him remove all LGBTQ content from the White House and Department of State websites on his first day, appoint former Republican Senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general (despite his abysmal history on LGBTQ rights), and the President's abolition of Barack Obama's bathroom protections in public schools, it's about time the LGBTQ see some light in this ever-encroaching dark tunnel.
So, it comes with much delight that one transgender woman is making political history. Danica Roem ison the cusp of becoming the first openly transgender person to serve as a state legislator in the US.
On Tuesday, Roem secured the Democratic nomination for the 13th District seat in Virginia's House of Delegates.
The hashtags used in Roem's tweet refer to two important issues in the general election: #NoH8, an effort to prevent anti-LGBTQ legislation, and #FixRoute28, a local transit concern.
According to LGBTQ newspaper Washington Blade, Roem has said: 'Let me make this really clear for you: When the people of the 13th District elect a transgender woman to replace the most anti-LGBT legislator in the South, it will be an act of certainty, and it will be a defining moment that will resonate across the country.'
The former journalist is currently running against Bob Marshall, a Republican who is known for his anti-LGBTQ policies. In January, he put forward a bill which would have forced school teachers to inform the parents of transgender kids if they ask to be referred to with different name or gender and reportedly once referred to transgender individuals as 'gender confused'.
However, Roem's run for seat isn't solely focussed on LGBTQ rights, as transportation and the economy are also important issues she's hoping to tackle.
According to NBC, Logan S. Casey, a research analyst at the Harvard Opinion Research program, has said: 'Roem is running on other issues. She's made transportation a big part of her campaign, and on election day voters are going to be thinking about what they always think about — their economic situation [and] experiences living where they live.'
Unfortunately, when Marshall heard of Roem's nomination, he referred to her using male pronouns and stated that he'll run an 'issues-oriented campaign'.
Roem to win.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
