Oregon city elects transgender mayor

[ccharles000]

(Silverton, Oregon) Plenty of politicians reinvent themselves, but few do it quite like Mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen.

Rasmussen has been a fixture in Silverton politics for more than 20 years, and had twice before been mayor of the small city 45 miles south of Portland. Those terms, however, were before Rasmussen began earing dresses and 3-inch heels in public, receiving breast implants and beginning to transitioning.

Silverton has made Rasmussen the country’s first openly transgender mayor, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that works to help openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people win elected office.

Rasmussen, 60, unseated incumbent mayor Ken Hector, with whom he had long clashed, by 1,988 votes to 1,512.

Because Rasmussen’s appearance was no secret, the campaign was dominated by policy issues.


http://www.365gay.com/news/oregon-city-elects-transgender-mayor/

[lamp_shade]

1. I saw the story on TV a few days ago. Interesting person.

[brendan120678]

2. I think it's great that the campaign was issue-oriented,

and not...umm...orientation-oriented.

[ccharles000]

7. I agree

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

3. Awesome!

Especially for a Bush/Cheney, McCain/Palin sort of town like Silverton. I visit Silverton once or twice a year (home of the Oregon Garden) and while it's a beautiful place, and the people are generally pleasant small-town folk, I've gotten "comments" before based solely on my bumper stickers (Obama, DU).

Personally, I could care less what color or flavor a person is, as long as s/he can lead!

[Parche]

4. wow

that is about 30miles south of here...:hi:

[ColbertWatcher]

5. "The gender identity thing is just a total backseat thing.”

Wow.

So, Americans really can concentrate on the issues during an election!

Good for Silverton, Oregon!

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. No comments from the OCA??

(That would be the "Oregon Citizens Alliance" - Oregon's version of the Westboro Baptist Church)