This City Just Elected Its State's First Transgender Politician

Madeline Leesman | September 18, 2023 11:15 AM

Nashville voters elected Tennessee’s first transgender lawmaker on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

NBC News reported that Olivia Hill, 57, who is “transgender,” won one of Nashville Metro Council’s seats after securing 12.9 percent of the vote. Hill reportedly served in the U.S. Navy for 10 years as an engineer before working as an engineer for Vanderbilt University.

“My expertise is fixing things, and while my focus for my native city is repairing Nashville’s outdated infrastructure, I also want to ensure that Nashville is represented with true diversity in a state where the ruling party thinks I should head to the closet,” Hill reportedly said in a statement prior to “her” win.

“This result sends a clear message to the anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in Tennessee and across the country: Trans people are not going anywhere,” the pro-trans Human Rights Campaign wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Congratulations to @Oliviafornash for becoming the first openly transgender person to the Nashville Council! This result sends a clear message to the anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in Tennessee and across the country: Trans people are not going anywhere. https://t.co/iTvg6RTCSA
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 15, 2023

In July, Hill said in a campaign video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter that the city is “under attack from right-wing conservatives who want to strip our rights.”

I'm proud to unveil our first ad in my campaign for Metro Council today! I'm ready to stand up to the bullies and protect everything we love about Nashville. Won't you join me?https://t.co/UEOivdWc3J pic.twitter.com/dl3rUwKAMz
— Olivia Hill | Metro Council At-Large (@Oliviafornash) July 18, 2023

NBC pointed out that Tennessee has introduced 26 “anti-LGBTQ+” measures this year, including a measure to protect children from irreversible, experimental so-called “gender-affirming” services, like hormone replacement therapy, puberty blockers, and sex reassignment surgery. This came after Vanderbilt University Medical Center was exposed for providing this kind of care for children because it’s profitable. As a result, the medical center became the subject of intense backlash. Lawmakers at the state and federal level began to call for investigations, which Townhall reported.