Minnesota state Rep. Leigh Finke was the first out transgender legislator elected in that state. She issued the following statement after Kamala Harris announced that the state’s Gov. Tim Walz would be her running mate in November:
“From the moment I was sworn in as a member of the Minnesota Legislature, it became clear to me that Governor Walz was committed to being a true ally for the queer community. In the past two years, Gov.Walz has signed Minnesota’s historic Trans Refuge Legislation, a law banning conversion therapy, historic levels of funding for HIV prevention and treatment, created a statewide LGBTQ+ Council, and so much more. Governor Walz has always showed up for our community.”
“This year, the choice couldn’t be clearer for our community. We have an opportunity to elect a transformational, historic figure in Kamala Harris, one of the greatest public champions for queer people in Gov. Walz, or we risk being erased from legal protections by Donald Trump and his allies. Every queer person in the country should be activated and engaged between now and November.”
In an Instagram post announcing Walz as her choice for Vice President, Harris mentioned that when Walz was a teacher, he served as sponsor of his school’s gay-straight alliance.
— David Taffet