33 year old journalist Danica Roem made history November 8th, becoming Virginia’s first transgender state lawmaker, and the first transgender person to be voted into and serve in any state government while her gender was public knowledge. Roem, who ran as Democrat, was able to beat Republican candidate Bob Marshall, who held the job in Virginia’s House of Delegates for the past 25 years. This was Roem's first time running for a government role, and as she campaigned on everyday issues, such as transportation in Prince William County, the region she overlooked, it’s infrastructure, and the promise to raise teacher’s annual wages.
Roem is also is seeking changes in more social issues, such as equality in the work and political field.
"So no matter what you look like, where you come from, how you worship, who you love, how you identify or any other identity that you have, you should be celebrated because of who you are, not despite it” said Roem, when asked about the social divide within the country since the 2016 presidential election. She held a firm stance, “There won't be discriminatory legislation coming out of the 13th District."
The election of Danica Roem has caused many to speculate at why 2017 is the first year a public transgender person was chosen to take office. Most see it as an answer to the 2016 presidential election, where controversial Republican candidate Donald Trump beat the majority favorite Democrat candidate, Hillary Clinton. Since Election Day of 2016, Donald Trump has been vocal about his dislike of special transgender benefits, as seen through the proposed transgender bathrooms to be removed from public buildings and schools; a bill Bob Marshall heavily supported and campaigned on.
On August 25th, 2017, President Trump went to social media and made an announcement that all transgender people are banned from serving in the U.S. military.
“Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail” says Donald Trump via Twitter.
Since the presidential election, citizens have oppressed the Trump Administration, and looked for a way to give LGBTQ+ activists and members to take on government power, in both state and federal offices. Of all of the elected officials from the LGBTQ+ community, Roem is arguably the most important, due to her victory over such a long standing Republican who labels himself as the state of Virginia’s “Chief Homophobe”. With this win, came many other victories for the LGBTQ+ community, such as Jenny Durkin, a lesbian woman elected mayor of Seattle, and Andrea Jenkins, the first African-American transgender woman elected into public office.
With the large contribution to socially diverse voices in the offices of 2017, the resist against President Trump and his policy may be growing throughout not only strongly Democratic backed States, such as California and Washington, but many swing-states.
“The election results provide the first real look into how the Donald Trump Presidency has affected swing-states politics” Jerry News said. Virginia is seen as not only a swing-state, but a very essential state to sway in order to win the presidential election. Donald Trump won the presidency without Virginia’s support last year, and the state has chosen to fight against his controversial views on transgender issues. Defeating Bob Marshall was a loss to the Republican Party, as he was a strong figurehead in a heavily sought after state. Without the presence of Marshall, Virginia can lose its status as a swing state by the next election, and eventually turn into a Democratic support hub.
Danica Roem’s election into public office is said to pave the way for the transgender community to become more involved and respected in the world. With her being the first transgender in the country’s history to hold such power, Roem is willing to fight for equality and acceptance in her county, her state, and her country, as seen in her campaign promises. Virginia, as a state, has been influenced by both Republican and Democrat parties, but Roem’s election into public office may lead to a more liberal leaning community. With Bob Marshall not being able to express his conservative views into the government, Danica Roem has the power to influence her district, and change the course of Virginia’s politics.
Image Courtesy of Vox