Nation’s First Openly Trans State Lawmaker Takes Office

Michael Lavers reports at the Washington Blade:

Virginia state Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas) was sworn in on Wednesday. Roem last November defeated former state Del. Bob Marshall, an anti-LGBT Republican who had represented the 13th District since 1992. Roem, a former journalist, is the first openly transgender person ever seated in a state legislature in the U.S. Roem is among the five openly LGBT members of the Virginia General Assembly. State Del. Dawn Adams (D-Richmond), who defeated former state Del. Manoli Loupassi (R-Richmond), is the first out lesbian elected to the General Assembly. The joined state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and state Dels. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County) and Mark Levine (D-Alexandria).

From the Human Rights Campaign:



En route to her historic victory, Roem unseated former Delegate Bob Marshall, who had a vicious, anti-LGBTQ record. In addition to working to make Virginia a more inclusive commonwealth for all, Delegate Roem is committed to moving Virginia forward by passing non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, improving affordable access to health care, updating the Virginia Human Rights Act to include gender identity and sexual orientation, and removing outdated, unconstitutional language on marriage equality that still exists in the Virginia code.