Washington, DC – Tonight, longtime community advocate Holly Ryan has made history as the first openly trans person elected in Newton, Massachusetts. Currently just two openly trans people are in elected office in the entire state. Though she ran unopposed for Newton City Council, Holly dug into her background as a vocal LGBTQ advocate and dedicated her campaign to discussing issues impacting Newton. Her election is especially important given anti-LGBTQ activists are attempting to make trans equality a wedge issue in the 2020 elections.
Lizbeth Deselm, an openly trans member of the Melrose School Committee, also won reelection tonight.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, released the following statement about Ryan’s victory:
“Holly will now join a small club of 21 openly trans elected officials serving in the entire country, and she is certain to play an outsized role in advancing trans equality moving forward. Anti-LGBTQ activists are preparing to use trans rights as a wedge issue in the 2020 elections and nothing disrupts their hateful narrative more than an out trans leader working on behalf of her constituents. Holly has dedicated years of her life to supporting LGBTQ people in their runs for public office, so it is great to see she is now in a position to represent her community as well.”
Live Election Night Results: Victory Fund is live tracking the election results for its 111 openly LGBTQ endorsed candidates. The latest updates can be found at victoryfund.org/results2019.
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LGBTQ Victory Fund
LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.