LGBT supporters are celebrating the victory of Danica Roem, who becomes the first openly transgender state legislator in the United States after her victory Tuesday in Virginia.
It was so nice seeing the next governor of Virginia, my friend Dr. @RalphNortham at the signing ceremony for HB 226… https://t.co/wWQFXc5ZfY— Danica Roem (@Danica Roem) 1493296324.0
"No matter what you look like, where you come from, how you worship, who you love, how you identify, or any other inherent identifier that you have, you should be celebrated because of who you are, not despite it," Roem said on MSNBC after the victory.
Roem's supporters also saw ironic symmetry in the victory because the election was against Republican Bob Marshall, who was the sponsor of a bill that would have placed restrictions on transgender bathroom use.
Marshall was a 13-term incumbent and a staunch social conservative who famously refused to call Roem by her "preferred pronoun," and once declared himself as Virginia's "chief homophobe."
Many of her supporters celebrated the LGBT victory on social media:
Virginia Trans candidate Danica Roem -- I got spelling wrong in previous tweet, -- defeats author of Trans bathroom… https://t.co/reI7tkryyK— Tony Schwartz (@Tony Schwartz) 1510106966.0
Danica Roem just became Virgina's first transgender delegate elected to state Congress and she beat out Bob Marshal… https://t.co/fAuTq8f4Wv— Black Lives Matter (@Black Lives Matter) 1510106313.0
Virginia is now home to America's first transgender state legislator, Danica Roem, who unseated a 26-year GOPer who… https://t.co/7crcJIbvq5— Jennifer Bendery (@Jennifer Bendery) 1510105211.0
Roem is a part of what was considered a rout for Democrats against President Trump and Republicans candidates in Virginia, with a large margin of victory for the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, and Democrats making enormous gains in the statehouse elections.
Roem is also known for being in a metal music band.