In January, I became the first transgender person to serve on an Ohio city council when I was appointed to fill an open seat. In November I tried to hold on to that spot and lost, but I didn’t feel overwhelmed or discouraged.
In fact, I’m more energetic and engaged than ever. And here’s why.
In 2023, I ran for the Ohio House of Representatives. I knew winning wouldn’t be basic. To start with, I ran in the most conservative district in Ohio. My opponent co-sponsored Ohio’s drug sweeps ban. But that’s not all. As a trans woman running in this political climate, I had more than just a complex race ahead of me – I had to face the reality that people who didn’t want to see me or anyone like me in politics, they would do everything in their power to stop us.
But I wasn’t alone. Next to me, two other transgender women were running for seats in the Ohio House of Representatives. Together we were determined to show up, fight back and challenge the status quo.
By overcoming an obstacle and then hitting a fresh obstacle
As every candidate knows, the first hurdle is getting on the ballot. To qualify, Ohio requires 50 valid signatures, which may seem like a tiny number, but in districts as red as mine, it’s much harder than it seems. Many Democrats in these areas remain under the radar, fearing the backlash they might face by showing support for progressive candidates. So we worked challenging, gathered friends, family and supporters and submitted our petitions. Then we waited for certification.
It didn’t take long for trouble to start. In January, one of my fellow transgender candidates was denied certification even though he had collected enough valid signatures. Reason? A little-known provision that required candidates to disclose their names from the last five years – a provision that was not mentioned anywhere in the candidate guide or petition forms. This rule, written in fine print, threatened to throw us off the ballot.
On January 5, 2024, as I was sitting down to a birthday dinner with my husband, my phone rang. It was a reporter from a local newspaper. He asked if I was aware that a Republican had just filed a protest against my candidacy under this little-known provision.
I wasn’t.
The protest ended with a hearing before the Electoral Commission. Shortly thereafter, a third transgender candidate received notice that she would also face an audition, even though no one had opposed her candidacy.
The next few weeks were some of the most stressful I have ever experienced. The two remaining candidates and I were inundated with calls from local, state and national media. I scheduled interviews every half hour, trying to keep up with the demands of the campaign while navigating the maelstrom of press attention. Bobbie Burke – one of the remaining transgender candidates – and I supported each other, checking in every day and ensuring that we would not only get through this ordeal, but also maintain our sanity through it all. We even held group calls with LGBTQ+ advocates from across the state, offering encouragement and advice.
Surprisingly, even Ohio’s Republican governor weighed in, stating publicly that he didn’t think candidates should be removed from the ballot because of such technicalities. It was a strange feeling to hear support from an unexpected place, but it reinforced the knowledge that we were not alone in this fight.
Finally, after much wandering around, Bobbie and I were allowed to remain on the ballot. But we’re not out of the woods. If we win, we may not be able to take the seats.
Ultimately, the protest against me was dismissed because the protester made a critical mistake – he was a member of the opposing party, and the rules stated that protests had to come from members of the candidate’s own party. He was so focused on trying to disqualify me on a technicality that he missed his own.
Lots of uncertainty
But that wasn’t the end of the story.
Controversy surrounding our campaigns led to dueling bills in the Ohio General Assembly. One bill sought to exempt candidates from disclosing their previous names if they had legally changed them in Ohio. The second bill, initiated by legislators facing transgender opponents, was intended to make it easier for anyone – regardless of party affiliation – to file a protest, a loophole in the law that could have disqualified me.
Lawmakers were so outraged by the idea of transgender women running for office that they felt compelled to change the law. Honestly, it was kind of amusing – if it weren’t so grave.
Ultimately, no law was adopted. But the fact that they introduced the same bills again this year says a lot about how threatened they felt by our presence.
Tough defeats and some uplifting victories
In November 2024, our campaigns ended with losses in a particularly complex year for LGBTQ+ people.
Fast forward to November 2025 and I faced another electoral defeat, this time trying to stay on the council. You would think that after all this I would feel discouraged.
But I’m not. In fact, I’m more determined than ever – and here’s why.
Firstly, the media storm surrounding our candidacies caused real changes. After all the attention we received, the Secretary of State’s Office updated the candidate guide for 2025. When it was published, we were stunned to see that a name change provision had been added and that candidacy petitions now included space for previous names.
It wasn’t the solution I would have preferred – I’d love a world where transgender candidates didn’t have to hide at all – but it was progress. This meant that no future transgender candidate would be blindsided by this provision.
Secondly, the 2024 campaign gave me a chance to show what I can do. When an incumbent St. City Council member Marys took early retirement due to health problems, she and the district party asked me to take her position until the end of the term.
So, despite losing the election, I became the first transgender person to serve on a city council in Ohio, was appointed to the city’s tree commission, and was elected vice chairman of the tree commission. Ohio Democratic Party Pride Caucus. We have managed to amend both the candidate guide and the application forms to include a name change provision.
Not a bad result for a “failed” campaign, right?
The point of this story is straightforward: even a campaign that doesn’t win can result in real, lasting change. Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying. Don’t let anyone tell you that someone like you can’t change anything. You may not win every race or secure every place, but that doesn’t mean you’re not making the changes you need.
Changes happen in combat. This happens when you stand up for yourself and others – without apology.
Your voice matters. Keep running. Keep fighting. Make the world a better place.🔥
START ACTION
- The Victory Institute is always looking for LGBTQ+ leaders who could run for public office. Check them out nearest available training.
- To register to vote or check your eligibility to vote in Ohio, click here.
- To find the contact information for your Ohio State Representative, click here.
