History was made in Virginia on Tuesday when a 33-year-old woman became the state's first openly transgender elected official.
And to top off the momentous win, Democrat Danica Roem unseated a Republican incumbent who calls himself the state's "chief homophobe."
SEE ALSO:Trump’s transgender military ban just got shut downRoem, a journalist and metal-loving mom, beat out 26-year incumbent Robert G. Marshall, 73, for the House of Delegates seat that represents Prince William County.
The win had LGBTQ advocates -- and Democrats seeking to turn the tide against Trumpian-style candidates -- cheering.
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Roem ran on a campaign focused on traffic issues, according to The Washington Post. Marshall refused to debate her and misgendered her by using male pronouns in attack ads, the newspaper reported.
Beyond reveling in his "chief homophobe" title, Marshall also modeled legislation on North Carolina's controversial bathroom bill. His, which aimed to prevent transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice, failed.
Roem joins a small club of openly transgender elected officials at a time when LGBTQ issues face political challenges. Trump's ban on transgender people serving in the military was partially blocked by a D.C. judge recently and North Carolina's bathroom bill has been repealed, but the fight goes on.
TopicsActivismLGBTQSocial Good