Running for Public Office

[Ashley_K]

Hi All,

Occasionally, I toy with the idea of running for public office one day (probably no more than city council). If you got called out for being a CD, would you fully embrace it? Particularly the more closeting folks in here. Hopefully I'm getting to the point where I'd smile and say, "Darn Right!"

Ashley

[Charlotte1987]

I have pondered that from time to time. But I think people would not reelect you for a consecutive term after being caught... as for embracing it. Well i think I would cry from embarrassment... XoXo

Charlotte Davis

[Tracii G]

Don't jump in the pan if you can't take the heat. Sounds like you can so go for it.
Our Mayor is gay and he is proud of it.Never hear a word in the news when he does his Mayoral duties so its not a big deal.

[Kalista Jameson]

Hi,

Political relationships are a lot like marriages, I think, only to the community and not an individual. It would all come down to how you presented yourself during the campaign, just like how we present ourselves to our significant others. If you get elected, you are married in a way. The crossdressing may or may not end up to be the issue that gets you in hot water if found out, but the other dynamics of it all. It really depends on how open you are going into it. Unlike in marriages, I think the process of reconciliation with the public is harder to get because unlike in a marriage where no one will stand in your way to repairing things between you and your spouse (hopefully), there are opposing politics and agendas looking for any angle to destroy you publically.

Give an opening and it will be taken.

Dems is my 2 cents! =)

Cheers,

Kalista

[Katie1989]

I've actually looked pretty closely at this. I'm a low-level politician myself, an crossdressing will, 95% of he time, kill your career. Homosexuality is just barely becoming acceptable for politics, an even then, those guys and girls dont make it far. If you do hope to get past the city counsel level, be prepared to keep crossdressing more secret than ever.

[Jocelyn Quivers]

Yes I would, I would not only embrace, I would make at advertisement's discussing why being a CD would make me a better candidate.

1. Expertise in managing budgets, accounts, and finances. I believe no one is more qualified than a cross dresser because you have to manage money for 2 separate wardrobes. You are a master in purchasing 2nd hand clothing, which shows you would be good at controlling spending while maintaing the same level of services which translates to LOW TAXES!! I would also create JOBS!! By eventually getting to the SCC conference to come to this locality.

2. I could always brag "I'm out of the closet!" "That's it for me!" "I have no other skeletons in my closet!" "Can my opponent's say the same?"

Potential Scandal Issues-

1. Older pictures of me posted which are not quite as flattering.
2. If you are a long term active member of this forum, (like me) the media and opponents will have a field day going through all thousands upon thousands of post and finding that political gaffe statement. For example I'm sure I posted somewhere in the past my favorite brand of pantyhose was sheer energy, then in another post I listed another brand was my favorite. The media/opponent could jump all over that and label me as a "flip/flopper" who changes his mind and is not consistent on the issues. Or I was in favor of coming out to your SO before marriage, before I was against it.

On better thought I should probably avoid a political career!!

[Lori Kurtz]

Had to laugh at this one:


The media/opponent could jump all over that and label me as a "flip/flopper" who changes his mind and is not consistent on the issues.

Isn't crossdressing pretty much the ultimate flip/flop?

[Gloriamontrose]

Stu Rasmussen, mayor of Silverton, Oregon, is openly a cross dresser, elected 'en femme'.
Take a look here.
http://www.sturasmussen.com/realityCheck.htm

Gloria

[Jorja]

A political career is dependent on several things. Being open and honest with your constituents is one major test that you must pass if you want to be elected. If you are keeping your crossdressing in the closet you are asking for trouble. There are cameras everywhere these days. Maybe even in your closet! If this is an integral part of you, you need to step out of the closet and be open about it.

Have a plan. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Do what you say you will do for your constituents. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

[Kelly DeWinter]

It happens, some are sucessful, some embrace it, other not so.

http://www.metroweekly.com/news/last_word/2008/11/first-out-crossdressing-mayor.html

[Samantha B L]

There was a completely out of the closet crossdresser in the senate way back in the 1830's. She died of an illness not long after leaving office and Daguerrotype photography wasn't invented until after she died. So all we have are wonderful stories and paintings of her. This was in the U.S.Senate! And of course there's Stu Rasmussen and probably others,too. You can't be sure,but things just might be changing regarding public acceptance of things LGBT/Transgender. We've had the Clinton years and now it's Obama. Mental Health Professionals voted being gay isn't an illness in 1973 and they voted that Transgenderism isn't a mental illness earlier this year(!)Really,I don't see why a TG/TS/CD sister can't be the one promising freeways,bridges and stadiums from behind a huge desk with an intercom and a big 1974 telephone interface. Well,that's cynical. And actually I think one of us could do a lot of good. Give it a try. It can't hurt to try it. You could win!

[Tina B.]

How well you would do depends on which side of the isle you seat on, among liberals you might stand a chance, among Conservatives, I don't see it happening.

[Angie G]

Well if it was that far out I gust say f#@* it andv really embrace it. Why not everyone would know anyway.:hugs:
Angie

[Beverley Sims]

It is all well to have a certain amount of bravado but when it comes to the crunch and public ridicule abounds you will need a thick skin.

[Phoebe]

There is a transgendered person who is going to run for John Kline's 2nd district Minnesota Congressional seat in the next election. From the St Paul Pioneer Press article: "Eagan woman doesn't want gender identity to define impending run for Congress". http://www.twincities.com/dakotacounty/ci_23841229/eagan-candidate-congress-doesnt-want-her-gender-identity

[joank]

Palm Springs, CA had a CD run for city council (not elected). She was in dress the entire time. There has also been transitioned folks holding office including someone in the current national administration.

[Stephanie47]

If you ran for office and your cross dressing became known, then embrace it but do not flaunt it. If you're transitioning, then embrace it and live it. There is a world of difference between a recreational cross dresser and a transsexual. It is better not to lie about it. The former mayor if New York City seemed to avoid any negativity about appearing as a woman. Anthony Weiner did not fair well because his actions are totally unacceptable, as well as continuing to lie. Maybe running for a low level position in a liberal area may be successful. In a conservative area? Doubtful.

[mikiSJ]

A fully transgendered individual would have a better time of it than a part-timer.

I would not attempt the run in an "at large" city, but rather I would choose a city district where I could be open about who I am.

[alwayshave]

I was thinking about running from my home state, but having an inside the beltway knowledge of dirty politics, I know my secret would be out. And even though my home state is incredibly liberal, think must turn right to see Mao on the political spectrum, the judgement would over the top and it just would not happen.

[Alice B]

Tracil is right.If you run you will be found out and outed. If you can take the heat it's OK But give it some serious thought because the complications are far greater than is what on the surface.

[rhonda]

Hi Ashley Being a democrat is more important in a demo controled area than being a cd Good LUCK

[angela2112]

A friend of mine ran for Congress at your last election. She's trans and had a good few supporters. I don't think she got much hassle because of her gender, although she eventually stood down (for other reasons). It was in the Meadville area of PA. Stacey Gray is her name, a wonderful honest person. If she had been successful, I'd have moved over the pond

http://thomascwaters.com/2012/03/05/stacey-gray-pa-3rd-district/

[Ashley_K]

These are all really good perspectives, and I really enjoyed reading the articles, so thank you. I live in a very liberal part of NC where currently there's an openly gay mayor and the town next door has had a TG person run for mayor (she didn't win mainly because of other reasons I'm pretty sure). I think there are pluses and minuses for running as a "part-time" TG vs. a "full-time" TG (In that binary, I would say I'm "part-time", though, of course, it's definitely more complex than that!). If you're full-time, particularly TS, it's definitely there. If you're part-time and not dressing in public, it can be swept under the rug a bit. J. Edgar Hoover was supposedly a CD ("part-timer"), and he was able to keep his career. On the other hand, there's the sad story of Susan Stanton (TS) who I've been following for years, and it seems she's consistently lost everything. Is she in this forum? I've always felt supportive and sympathetic to her, because she REALLY went public and has endured a lot.

I probably wouldn't just offer up the fact that I'm CD/TG and run completely as a man. And who knows? It would probably never come up. But, yes, there are cameras everywhere, and like I mentioned in my introduction, here I am writing incriminating stuff down in a public realm. I think if someone in the media found out and straight up asked me, I'd say I am, it's not a big deal, and if they had any questions, I'd be happy to help people understand what it's like. You don't have to just offer up to the world EVERYTHING, like, "Hey, did you know I have 2 colons?" But if someone asked me if I had 2 colons and I did (I don't), I'd probably tell them and help them understand what it's like, in just the same way.

As far as a platform goes, I'm not a single-issue person, and I'd want to research every single issue to the core. I'm very collaborative by nature, and seek as many perspectives as I can before I make a decision. I've primarily been in the non-profit sector working in poverty issues, community/economic development, and finance. I probably wouldn't get too far because I hate running with the big-wigs and playing their games. Been there, done that. I feel it's so fake, but they're the ones with the power and money. At big-name networking events (well, this is relative; I'm talking on a local scale, not like DC or something), I personally prefer to hang out and chat with the waitstaff--they typically seem to be more interesting to me, and always have fascinating perspectives since they just watch what the "movers and shakers" are doing. Honesty, transparency, and doing what you say are very important.

Ashley

[GeorgeA]

Katie1989,
You wrote: Homosexuality is just barely becoming acceptable for politics, an even then, those guys and girls dont make it far.
I would like to point out a few that did: present premier of Ontario, a former deputy premier and several parliamentarians in various parts of Canada.
Maybe things are different where you live.
However, I do not recall hearing of any crossdressing politicians but there might be some, though closeted.

[lingerieLiz]

Houston has a lesbian for mayor and she is very popular. She will win reelection. There was an American Legion Post Commander who was I believe TG several years back. He was reelected to the post.

Today I think that someone who is known in the community and liked can run and win. But, if you are not already established it would be hard to get elected.

[Leona]

If I ran, I'd use the crossdressing as part of the campaign, and my platform would have heavy emphasis on equality for everybody in housing, jobs, etc.

[linda allen]

In most parts of the country, being known as a crossdresser would severely hurt your chances of being elected. In some parts, it might help. If people are unhappy with their government, they sometimes vote just to vote everyone out.

Would I vote for you? Not because you are or are not a crossdresser, I would vote for you if your thoughts on government were the same as mine. I would vote for your opponent if they were not.

[Taylor186]

If you got called out for being a CD, would you fully embrace it? Particularly the more closeting folks in here."

Not if I wanted to be elected. But running would assume some plausible deniability. How out are you? Do you go out dressed? What about your family? Rudy Giuliani has never admitted to being a crossdresser even though pictures of his occasional crossdressing are widely available.

I think there is no comparison today between LGBs and Ts when it comes to running for office as they are much further ahead in acceptance." And, within the T category (think hierarchy) there is no comparison between TSs and CDs.

I would never run for office because I am a crossdresser. Politics are incredibly dirty today. There are many less invasive ways to make your community a better place to live.

[BillieJoEllen]

Here in this state we had a former county executive that was post op transsexual. Problem was that she didn't really do anything to enhance her 'femininity'. Also we have the first elected US senator that also happens to be a lesbian. From time to time other elected officials have surfaced throughout the US at various levels of government.