Posted on Sep 16, 2023
Tennessee elects its first transgender lawmaker
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Nashville voters elected Tennessee’s first transgender lawmaker Thursday, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, a political action group that aims to elect queer people to public office.
The historic victory comes months after Tennessee made national headlines for passing laws that restrict certain drag performances and prohibit transition-related medical care for minors.
Olivia Hill, 57, won one of Nashville Metro Council’s four nonpartisan seats up for grabs, securing 12.9% of the vote, according to election data site Ballotpedia. She served in the Navy for 10 years as an engineer before working as an engineer for Vanderbilt University, according to her campaign website. She has also been a vocal LGBTQ advocate in Nashville and beyond, serving on the board of directors for the Tennessee Pride Chamber, the website says.
“My expertise is fixing things, and while my focus for my native city is repairing Nashville’s outdated infrastructure, I also want to ensure that Nashville is represented with true diversity in a state where the ruling party thinks I should head to the closet,” she said in a statement prior to her win.
The historic victory comes months after Tennessee made national headlines for passing laws that restrict certain drag performances and prohibit transition-related medical care for minors.
Olivia Hill, 57, won one of Nashville Metro Council’s four nonpartisan seats up for grabs, securing 12.9% of the vote, according to election data site Ballotpedia. She served in the Navy for 10 years as an engineer before working as an engineer for Vanderbilt University, according to her campaign website. She has also been a vocal LGBTQ advocate in Nashville and beyond, serving on the board of directors for the Tennessee Pride Chamber, the website says.
“My expertise is fixing things, and while my focus for my native city is repairing Nashville’s outdated infrastructure, I also want to ensure that Nashville is represented with true diversity in a state where the ruling party thinks I should head to the closet,” she said in a statement prior to her win.
Tennessee elects its first transgender lawmaker
Posted from nbcnews.com
Nashville
LGBTQ+
Transgender
Gender
Elections
Posted 8 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Olivia Hill, 57, won one of Nashville Metro Council’s four nonpartisan seats up for grabs, securing 12.9% of the vote, according to election data site Ballotpedia. She served in the Navy for 10 years as an engineer before working as an engineer for Vanderbilt University, according to her campaign website. She has also been a vocal LGBTQ advocate in Nashville and beyond, serving on the board of directors for the Tennessee Pride Chamber, the website says.
“My expertise is fixing things, and while my focus for my native city is repairing Nashville’s outdated infrastructure, I also want to ensure that Nashville is represented with true diversity in a state where the ruling party thinks I should head to the closet,” she said in a statement prior to her win.
Annise Parker, president of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which endorsed Hill, applauded her victory and took aim at the state’s conservative lawmakers.
“Nashville voters clearly reject the hateful rhetoric that has grown louder in Tennessee politics lately,” Parker said in a statement. “Olivia’s victory proves that transgender people belong everywhere decisions about them are being made, including local office.”
Hill’s win coincides with seemingly competing phenomena: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are being elected to public office at historically high rates, while a record number of anti-LGBTQ laws have been introduced in state legislatures across the country.
Last year, at least 400 openly LGBTQ candidates — the majority of whom are Democrats — won their elections, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, surpassing 2020’s record of 336 and 2018’s record of 244.
In November, notable wins included the election of the country’s first lesbian governors: Maura Healey in Massachusetts and Tina Kotek in Oregon. And in New Hampshire, James Roesener became the first trans man elected to a state legislature."...
..."Olivia Hill, 57, won one of Nashville Metro Council’s four nonpartisan seats up for grabs, securing 12.9% of the vote, according to election data site Ballotpedia. She served in the Navy for 10 years as an engineer before working as an engineer for Vanderbilt University, according to her campaign website. She has also been a vocal LGBTQ advocate in Nashville and beyond, serving on the board of directors for the Tennessee Pride Chamber, the website says.
“My expertise is fixing things, and while my focus for my native city is repairing Nashville’s outdated infrastructure, I also want to ensure that Nashville is represented with true diversity in a state where the ruling party thinks I should head to the closet,” she said in a statement prior to her win.
Annise Parker, president of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which endorsed Hill, applauded her victory and took aim at the state’s conservative lawmakers.
“Nashville voters clearly reject the hateful rhetoric that has grown louder in Tennessee politics lately,” Parker said in a statement. “Olivia’s victory proves that transgender people belong everywhere decisions about them are being made, including local office.”
Hill’s win coincides with seemingly competing phenomena: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are being elected to public office at historically high rates, while a record number of anti-LGBTQ laws have been introduced in state legislatures across the country.
Last year, at least 400 openly LGBTQ candidates — the majority of whom are Democrats — won their elections, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, surpassing 2020’s record of 336 and 2018’s record of 244.
In November, notable wins included the election of the country’s first lesbian governors: Maura Healey in Massachusetts and Tina Kotek in Oregon. And in New Hampshire, James Roesener became the first trans man elected to a state legislature."...
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