Danica Roem Is The First Transgender Legislator From Virgina

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

The state of Virginia elected Democrat Danica Roem as its legislator on Tuesday. Roem is the first openly transgender candidate to be elected to exercise legislative functions.

"To every person who has ever been singled out, who has ever been stigmatized, who has ever been the misfit, who has ever been the child [sent] to the corner, who has ever needed someone to stand up for them when they had no voice of their own,”said Roem as he became the first transgender elected official in a state that has declared itself mostly conservative. "This one is for you".

Born in Prince William County, Roem is a journalist graduated from St. Bonaventure University in New York.

During his bid, Roem knocked on doors and visited state subdivisions talking to residents - or anyone who would listen - about his goal of easing traffic on the crowded highways of northern Virginia. Her rainbow scarf, characteristic of the LGBT community, accompanied her on every journey in her quest to become the first openly transgender person to sit in the United States legislature.

Underscoring the historical nature of his candidacy, his opponent, Robert Marshall, was a 13-term incumbent who is the most outspoken conservative in the Republican-dominated General Assembly of Virginia. Throughout his career, Marshall had fought against liberal causes that would benefit the LGBT community.

"Discrimination is reason to be disqualified," he said in an interview with The Washington Post. "You can serve if you have good public policy ideas, you are qualified if you are committed to the work of the people you are representing."

Roem plans to keep the promise he made during his candidacy and will fix Route 28. "If you think I was joking, I'll be bugging you for the next two years."