Sarah McBride celebrates being sworn in as America’s first-ever trans state senator with eye-opening meme
Sarah McBride, left, has been sworn in as Delaware’s state senator. (Twitter/SarahEMcBride)
LGBT+ rights champion Sarah McBride has been sworn in as the first-ever transgender state senator in US history.
McBride claimed a swift victory in her race for the Delaware senate during the US elections on 3 November, becoming the first trans woman to ever hold office in a state’s upper chamber.
There are a handful of transgender politicians who sit in state legislatures, but no out trans politicians hold federal or statewide office anywhere in the United States.
McBride, who formerly served as national press secretary of the Human Rights Campaign, played a pivotal role in the fight for LGBT+ discrimination protections in Delaware, and has lobbied for the Equality Act to extend protections nationwide.
She is also a former White House intern, and in 2016 was the first openly trans person to address the Democratic National Convention in support of Hilary Clinton’s presidential bid.
On 13 January, McBride was sworn in as Delaware’s state senator. Sharing a meme on Twitter, she said, “I’m sorry… I can’t resist.”
How it started is a photo of McBride reading a newspaper, with an article headline “LGBTQ activist Sarah McBride to run for state senate in 2020”. How it’s going is a picture of McBride in a blue dress and blue mask, holding up her right hand as she’s sworn in.
I’m sorry… I can’t resist:
How it started. How it’s going. pic.twitter.com/X3i0WxfqLu
— Sen. Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) January 13, 2021
It is not the first time the state senator has used social media to great effect. In November, Sarah McBride had the perfect response when a Twitter troll asked if she is “a girl or a boy”.
The incoming Delaware state senator clapped back after the troll slid into her Twitter DMs.
They had asked: “I am confused, are you a boy or girl?”
She responded: “I’m a senator.”
Sharing the put-down on Twitter, McBride added: “Hope that clears things up.”
Hope that clears things up. pic.twitter.com/6JjBjG4QAO— Sen. Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) November 23, 2020
In an interview with Elle the week she was elected in November, Sarah McBride spoke about hoping to make a difference in the state in her new role.
She said: “Government is where you can make change for the most number of people in the most number of ways. My decision to run for office was one based on hope and the knowledge that change is possible if you work hard enough.
“I ran my campaign on issues like paid family and medical leave. No one should have to choose between getting by and getting well and staying well. This is a critical priority.”
