A transgender woman won election to a seat on Nashville’s city council, becoming the first openly transgender person to be voted into political office in Tennessee. Olivia Hill secured one of the four open at-large seats on the metro council of Nashville, a politically liberal city in an overwhelmingly conservative state. According to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, an advocacy group, the triumph made her the first transgender woman to be elected in Tennessee. As per the Nashville Post, Hill was making history prior to her win as she was the first openly trans woman to have her name on the state ballot. Hill is a public speaker and advocate for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, and she has served on the board of directors for the Tennessee Pride Chamber. Hill said, “My expertise is fixing things, and while my focus is repairing Nashville’s outdated infrastructure, I also want to ensure that our city is represented with true diversity in a state where the ruling party thinks I should head to the closet.” Annise Parker, the president, and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, applauded Hill’s victory. Parker noted that Hill’s historic election comes as Tennessee’s state legislature passes laws discriminating against transgender communities. Tennessee’s numerous anti-LGBTQ+ laws include bans on drag shows and gender-affirming care for minors.
