Danica Roem: Transgender lawmaker a first for Virginia

Voters in the US state of Virginia have elected their first openly transgender state legislator.

Danica Roem, a 32-year-old journalist, ousted pro-Trump incumbent Republican Bob Marshall.
Mr Marshall had described himself as Virginia's "chief homophobe".

The district that elected Ms Roem, which includes outer suburbs of Washington DC, strongly supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Ms Roem championed gay, transgender and  immigrants rights during her campaign, but the race mostly focused on the state's transport infrastructure.
                                                         Danica Roem
Mr Marshall had a strong record of opposing equality legislation.

The veteran Republican co-sponsored a 2006 Virginia constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

He also introduce a bill that would have banned transgender school students from using the bathrooms of their choice.

Ms Roem is not the first openly transgender state lawmaker in the United States.

Stacie Laughton won a seat in New Hampshire's legislature in 2012, but she resigned before taking office.

A closeted transgender woman, Althea Garrison, won a seat in the Massachusetts legislature in 1992. Ms Garrison was later outed by a conservative newspaper.

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