LGBTQ+ Representation Matters!
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United States politics saw a 41 percent increase in LGBTQ+ candidates since the 2018 midterms. With more than 1,006 candidates running in the 2020 election, equality took a huge step forward. Across the board, we saw the progress that will provide more representation for the LGBTQ+ community in large stage politics.
For the first time in the nation’s history, a transgender candidate won a seat in a state senate. That makes the Delaware senator, Sarah McBride, the highest-ranking openly transgender official in the United States. McBride will be taking the place of Harris B. McDowell III who is retiring after serving in his position for the past 44 years.
Two other transgender candidates, Taylor Small from Vermont and Stephanie Byers from Kansas, were elected to serve in their states’ House of Representatives. Both women are the first openly transgender individuals from their respective states to serve in that position. Byers, a retired public educator, is also the first trans-Native American to be elected as a state legislator.
Republican candidate for Tennessee, Eddie Mannis, a gay man, was elected to serve as a state representative. In the same state, Democrat, Torrey Harris, who is bisexual, won the election for his district. The two men are the first openly LGBTQ+ members of that legislature. According to Mannis, support from both parties will be crucial in making progress for LGBTQ+ people, as “Gay is not exclusive to being a democrat.” It is the hope that in their traditionally red state, their election will bolster inclusivity for LGBTQ+ issues and the community.
Mauree Turner (she/her they/them) from Oklahoma, who is a non-binary, Black Muslim, won a seat in the state House. Before last week’s election, Turner noted that “It has never been a more important time for the next generation to see themselves in our government. It has never been a more important time for those closest to our state’s problems to be structuring the solutions.” Born and raised in Oklahoma, she understands her district’s needs and has spent much of her life advocating for her community on issues such as criminal justice reform and LGBTQ+ rights. Turner stands as a model for other non-binary people, especially those coming from places where they don’t someone to look up to.
While there were other successes by other candidates nationwide, perhaps one of the greatest successes was by the state of Nevada. During last week’s election, the Silver State voted to change the wording of its constitution from “only a marriage between a male and a female person shall be recognized and given effect in this state” to “enshrine the principles of marriage equality to which all Nevadans are entitled and deserve.”
This change won two-thirds of the state’s vote. It provides a security blanket for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
This change enables Nevada to protect & preserve LGBTQ+ marriages if marriage equality were ever to be challenged at a federal level.
The results of the election stand to boost visibility and amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community. The many firsts made pave the way for future candidates and policies that will better represent the entirety of the American people.
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