6 LGBTQ+ people in politics who have made history this year

Talia LakritzOct 6, 2022, 19:43 IST

Drag queen Maebe A. Girl is running for Congress in California's 30th District.Emily Eizen

There are over 450 LGBTQ+ candidates running in the 2022 midterm elections, per Victory Fund.
Maebe A. Girl is the first trans nonbinary person to advance to a general election for a House seat.

When Liliana Bakhtiari took office in January as a member of Atlanta's City Council, they became the first queer Muslim legislator in the state of Georgia.

Liliana Bakhtiari.Atlanta City Council

Bakhtiari, who uses both "they" and "she" pronouns, is also the first nonbinary person to hold elected office in the city of Atlanta. In September 2022, she announced that she is nonmonogomous and in a relationship with two partners in an interview with NBC News.

Bakhtiari, who uses both they and she pronouns, is also the first nonbinary person to hold elected office in the city of Atlanta. In September 2022, she announced that she is nonmonogomous and in a relationship with two partners in an interview with NBC News.

In May, Karine Jean-Pierre became the first Black and openly LGBTQ+ person and immigrant to serve as White House press secretary.

Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a press briefing at the White House in May 2022.AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Before she fielded questions from reporters on her first day, Jean-Pierre acknowledged the historic nature of her position and credited "generations of barrier-breaking people" that she said paved the way for her, Insider's Nicole Gaudiano and Oma Seddiq reported.

"I am obviously acutely aware that my presence at this podium represents a few firsts. I am a Black, gay, immigrant woman, the first of all three of those to hold this position," she said. "If it were not for generations of barrier-breaking people before me, I would not be here. But I benefit from their sacrifices. I have learned from their excellence, and I am forever grateful to them."

Before she fielded questions from reporters on her first day, Jean-Pierre acknowledged the historic nature of her position and credited generations of barrier-breaking people that she said paved the way for her, Insider's Nicole Gaudiano and Oma Seddiq reported.

I am obviously acutely aware that my presence at this podium represents a few firsts. I am a Black, gay, immigrant woman, the first of all three of those to hold this position, she said. If it were not for generations of barrier-breaking people before me, I would not be here. But I benefit from their sacrifices. I have learned from their excellence, and I am forever grateful to them.

In June, drag queen Maebe A. Girl became the first trans nonbinary person to advance to a general election for a seat in the House of Representatives.

Maebe A. Girl.Emily Eizen

Girl, who uses both "she" and "they" pronouns, is running to represent California's 30th District. She told the Los Angeles Times that "there's a lot of crossover" between doing drag and campaigning.

"When I do drag, I host a lot of shows," they said. "I'm on the mic, listening to people, engaging with people. It's really not very dissimilar from being in a political setting where I'm giving a campaign speech. I used every drag show that I'm in to speak about politics and speak about my policies and let folks know about our campaigns. It's actually been a really wonderful tool."

Girl, who uses both she and they pronouns, is running to represent California's 30th District. She told the Los Angeles Times that there's a lot of crossover between doing drag and campaigning.

When I do drag, I host a lot of shows, they said. I'm on the mic, listening to people, engaging with people. It's really not very dissimilar from being in a political setting where I'm giving a campaign speech. I used every drag show that I'm in to speak about politics and speak about my policies and let folks know about our campaigns. It's actually been a really wonderful tool.

In August, Jessica Katzenmeyer became the first trans woman to win a primary in the state of Wisconsin.

Jessica Katzenmeyer.Jessica Katzenmeyer

Katzenmeyer is running to represent District 5 in Wisconsin. If she wins in November, she will be the state's first out transgender state senator.

"Representation matters because having a body of government represented by a diverse population will bring new ideas to the table," Katzenmeyer told Insider. "Being trans is a big part of my identity, but people should vote for me because they know that I'll fight for them."

Katzenmeyer is running to represent District 5 in Wisconsin. If she wins in November, she will be the state's first out transgender state senator.

Representation matters because having a body of government represented by a diverse population will bring new ideas to the table, Katzenmeyer told Insider. Being trans is a big part of my identity, but people should vote for me because they know that I'll fight for them.

In November, two openly LGBTQ+ candidates will run against each other in a congressional race for the first time in US history.

Robert Zimmerman (left) and George Santos.Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images ; George Santos For Congress

Democrat Robert Zimmerman and Republican George Santos, both openly gay, are facing off in November in a bid to represent New York's 3rd congressional district. The nature of the election itself is already historic, and whoever wins will become the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent the New York district, The Hill reported.

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