life
A Rainbow Tsunami
New Year Starts with Record-Breaking LGBTQ Political Representation by Chris Rudisill | qnotes contributor
A
A Year for Change
s the new Congress convened this week, a historic number of LGBTQ We all hope that 2021 brings better people will make up the U.S. House. everything — time with friends and famNine openly LGBTQ candidates were elected ily again, nights out on the town and even this past November, seven of whom were the basic need for hugs. For politics, an incumbents. According to the LGBTQ Victory increased LGBTQ representation brings Fund, an organization that trains, supports promising hope for our future. and advocates for queer candidates, it’s also “I think the generation behind us, as the most diverse class in history with four they are looking for places to live and work, people of color. they’re not going to be satisfied with a small These nine are just a small fraction of southern town that has that ‘good-ole boy’ the LGBTQ candidates that won elections mentality,” says Mundy. With the sunsetacross the country in 2020. From city counting of HB142 and the wedding venue cils to state assemblies, over 300 out LGBTQ case, he hopes to work with city leaders candidates have taken office in the past two and attorneys on how to move the needle months. “In one of the most vitriolic and on non-discrimination ordinances in both unprecedented election cycles of our time, Mayor Pete Buttigieg held a town hall meeting for his presidential campaign on the front lawn of Winston-Salem and statewide. LGBTQ candidates continue winning elecRoosevelt High School in Des Moines. Iowa. More than 700 turned out on a crisp October night. For Julia Olson-Boseman, she realizes tions in numbers and in parts of the country (Photo Credit: Phil Roeder via Creative Commons. CC BY 2.0 license.) the level at which LGBTQ people continue thought unthinkable a decade or two ago,” to be discriminated against in the state. said Annise Parker, president and CEO of “It doesn’t stop with one of us — it has to the LGBTQ Victory Fund. “There has never been a more important time for the next continue,” she says. “If you want to have a voice, you’ve got Parker made history herself as the first openly LGBTQ generation to see themselves in our government,” said to have a seat at the table.” mayor of a major city, when she was elected mayor of Turner in a statement on her campaign website. Olson-Boseman was the first openly LGBTQ person Houston in 2009. U.S. Reps. Mondaire Jones (D-NY) and Ritchie Torres elected to the North Carolina General Assembly serving from She went on to say, “LGBTQ people span every com(D-NY) became the first two openly LGBTQ Black members 2005 to 2011. She previously served on the New Hanover munity — we are people of color, women, immigrants, and of Congress this month. Thirty-one percent of LGBTQ County Board of Commissioners and returned to that post people with disabilities — and we are able to use that life candidates who ran in 2020 identified as people of color, in 2018. “At the time when experience to connect with voters from many backgrounds. compared to just 10 percent of all candidates who ran in I entered into politics, the This beautiful diversity provides an opportunity to connect 2018. In October, PBS News wrote that “the impending county commission were on some level with every single voter in America.” election has the potential to bring about a tectonic shift of five older white guys,” says power in America if more Black leaders are elected to repOlson-Boseman. “I didn’t resent areas dominated by white voters.” The positive shift feel that it was representain more diverse candidates started in the 2018 midterms. tive of the county.” When Former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg was not the In North Carolina, eight LGBTQ candidates won she first ran in 2000, people first openly gay presidential candidate in a major political in 2020 bringing the state’s total to 28 openly LGBTQ saw that the LGBTQ Victory party. That honor, surprisingly, sits with a Republican, Fred elected officials. Kevin Fund had given her money, Karger, who was unsuccessful in his bid for the presiMundy won a spot on virtually outing her publicly dency in 2012. Buttigieg was, however, the first openly gay the Winston-Salem City in the race. She heard the candidate to earn presidential primary delegates toward a Council, becoming the first horrible things that people major party’s nomination this past year. He made history openly gay person in the said about the LGBTQ comJulia Olson-Boseman. winning the Iowa Caucus in February and in December was role. The other candidates munity. “They let us onto nominated to head the Department of Transportation by included: Rep. Vernetta the porch, there’s still a lot of people that are not going to President-Elect Joe Biden. If confirmed, he will be the first Alston (NC House 29), who let us in the house,” she says. She continues to fight against openly gay cabinet secretary approved by the U.S. Senate. was previously appointed bullying and LGBTQ visibility in local politics which she says is Transgender candidates made history in 2020 as well. to MaryAnn Black’s position the place where it all happens. “We have to keep standing up Delaware Sen. Sarah McBride, who helped pass gender in the N.C. House after her for ourselves,” says Olson-Boseman. “Everybody doing that identity protections and hate crimes legislation in the death in March; Jasmine thing that they can — everybody doing their part and moving Winston-Salem City state, now assumes office in the capitol, making her the Beach-Ferrara (Buncombe forward and not thinking it’s over, because it’s not.” : : Council member first transgender state senator in the country. According County Commission); Cecil Ken Mundy. (Photo to LGBTQ Victory Fund, there are just four out transgender Brockman (NC House Note: qnotes attempted to interview other elected officials for Credit: Linda Weaver) people currently serving in state legislatures. 60), who became the first this story, including Rep. Alston and Rep. Brockman. “Sarah’s overwhelming victory is a powerful testament bisexual person elected in to the growing influence of transgender leaders in our North Carolina in 2014; Deb Butler (NC House 18); Allison politics and gives hope to countless trans people looking Dahle (NC House 11); Whit Davis (Forsyth County District toward a brighter future,” said Parker. Court); and Marcia Morey (NC House 30). Other major news on election night included that of Mundy began working for Sara Lee, now Hanesbrands, Rep. Stephanie Byers, who just became the first out transstarting in 1987. He was recruited to work in community relagender person to serve in the Kansas state House and tions for the company and points to that as his start in local the first out transgender person of color ever elected to a government work. “At the time, Hanes was one of the largest state legislature. In total, six transgender candidates won employers in North Carolina,” says Mundy. “I started working state offices helping to bring the total of openly transgenwith community leaders and learning who these folks were, der elected officials nationwide to 32 this past year. why they were trying to do what they were trying to do.” “Throughout the election cycle, Donald Trump and As a representative of the company, Mundy was doing other cynical politicians attempted to use trans people as things that he enjoyed. At 58 years old, he says he is now a political weapon, believing they could gain popularity by close to retirement. He has been working with Leadership stoking fear and hate,” continued Parker. Speaking of the Winston-Salem the past several years and has been incandidates, she said for them to “shatter a lavender ceiling volved in what it takes for city leadership to be successful. in such a polarizing year is a powerful reminder that votWinston-Salem recently made national news when The ers are increasingly rejecting the politics of bigotry in favor Warehouse on Ivy, a wedding venue, denied a lesbian couple of candidates who stand for fairness and equality.” the right to rent its space for their 2022 wedding. “I was prayRep. Mauree Turner was elected to the Oklahoma legising that we would flip the (N.C.) House and Senate and as long lature, making her the first non-binary person elected to a as Phil Berger (R-District 44) and Tim Moore (R – District 111) statewide position. According to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, are calling the shots, nothing is going to change,” says Mundy. Protest sign seen in Charlotte, June 6, 2020. Turner will add to the four out genderqueer or non-binary“Which makes it even more important at the municipal level, (Photo Credit: Darious Smith) identified elected officials serving in the entire country. that LGBTQ community members have representation.”
Political Firsts
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qnotes
Jan. 8-21, 2021
