Reply
Sat 8 Nov, 2008 12:22 pm
Did you hear the news that Silverton, Oregon has elected the first openly transgendered mayor?
Quote:Small Oregon city elects transgender mayor
SILVERTON, Ore. " Plenty of politicians reinvent themselves, but few do it quite like Mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen.
Rasmussen has been a fixture in Silverton politics for more than 20 years, and had twice before been mayor of the small city 45 miles south of Portland. Those terms, however, were before his breast implants and before the once-discreet crossdresser started wearing dresses and 3-inch heels in public.
Silverton has made Rasmussen the country's first openly transgender mayor, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that works to help openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people win elected office.
Rasmussen, 60, unseated incumbent mayor Ken Hector, with whom he had long clashed, by 1,988 votes to 1,512.
Because Rasmussen's appearance was no secret, the campaign was dominated by policy issues.
"I've blackmail-proofed myself," Rasmussen said.
The story of Rasmussen's election was first reported by JustOut, a bimonthly publication for Portland's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.
"Stu never sought this recognition out," said JustOut reporter Stephen Marc Beaudoin. "He's interested in doing a great job for the community that he loves. The gender identity thing is just a total backseat thing."
That comes across when Rasmussen speaks in his decidedly masculine voice.
"I am a dude," he said. "I am a heterosexual male who appears to be a female."
His longtime live-in girlfriend, Victoria Sage, told The Oregonian newspaper that she and Rasmussen have been an item for almost 35 years.
Another story:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=6211839&page=1
Wow. Voters who focus on the issues! Way to go Silverton.
You have got to work this one out for yourselves...
Jenny Bailey is the civic leader of Cambridge City Council in Cambridge, England. Bailey served her mayoral term from 2007-2008. Bailey became a member of the city council in 2002, when she was elected to represent the suburb of East Chesterton within Cambridge. She served the council continuously from 2002-2007, rising the ranks until she was chosen to become mayor in 2007.[1] Prior to her appointment as full mayor, she acted as a deputy in 2006.
She was the first transgender mayor in the United Kingdom,[2] with Varsity, the eldest of Cambridge University's newspapers, suggesting even the world.[3] However, Bailey was keen to play down the significance of this, saying, "I don't want to let it define me."[4] Bailey had undergone gender transitioning 11 years prior to assuming office in the council.[1]
Bailey was married before her transition, and fathered two sons. She is currently in a relationship with Jennifer Liddle, a fellow male-to-female transsexual, who served as her mayoress.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace