Politics as (un)Usual

Did you know that New Zealand had the first transsexual elected to Parliament? (Well, maybe the first known transsexual…) Anyway, Georgina Beyer was elected to Parliament in 1999 in the Wairarapa region on the North Island. Her website describes her life as “the story of a Maori transsexual and former sex-worker, who was voted into the New Zealand Government by a largely white rural electorate." Incredible! In 2002, Georgie Girl, a documentary about Georgina's life was released and won 5 international film awards.

I would like to think that the United States would be as open-minded as the Kiwis are when it comes to electing lesbians/gays/bisexuals/tansgenders to a top political position. However, our track record proves otherwise. To date:

• Only two members US House of Representatives are openly gay: Barney Frank (D-MA) and Jared Polis (D-CO)


• Only one member of the US House of Representatives is openly lesbian: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)


• No members of the US House of Representatives are openly bisexual or transgender


• No members of the US Senate are openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered

*Sigh*