February 16, 2022
“You know, that this kind of representation is really precious right now, especially since the last couple years have been so prolifically horrible with the legislation that's come out against trans people.”
—Brianna Titone Colorado House of Representatives from the 27th district.
The gist:
Rep. Brianna Titone, as one of only eight out transgender state lawmakers in the country, knows she can make history as the first elected to Congress. She “is keenly aware of the spotlight on her,” but “she also feels a sense of responsibility to the trans community that extends far beyond her Colorado district’s borders.”
That’s why she is putting a run for Congress on hold…for now.
“I had to weigh what I do now and what I represent for people now, and whether I wanted to risk giving up that to run for another seat,” Titone told Know Your Value, acknowledging that she wasn’t sure a win was likely. “If I didn't, I would lose what I have now and the impact and the difference that I make to people in the position that I have currently.”
Titone got her start in politics in 2016, “when she served as a delegate for Bernie Sanders. A year later, she joined the leadership board of her local LGBTQ+ caucus.”
And her commitment to that community is one she weighs constantly.
“It feels like a separate job of being that person who shows up and is inspirational and is outspoken on [trans rights] issues, because there's a short supply of people who have positions like mine to actually do it,” she said.
She acknowledges that her dual focus on politics + being a role model and sounding board for the Community is taxing. But she also knows that, “this kind of representation is really precious right now,” referring to “legislation that's come out against trans people.”
Someday she might have a larger megaphone, but “she also knows she can’t risk losing the influence she has right now.”
The Stats:
- According to the Human Rights Campaign, state legislatures launched 147 measures targeting the transgender community last year — nearly twice as many as in 2020.
Photo: Brianna Titone
Connect with the MSNBC article here.
