List of transgender political office-holders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Since the 1990s, transgender individuals have been elected to public office in growing numbers, across East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Northern Europe, and Western Europe. There also has been a growing number of transgender politicians in Northern America, Oceania, the Caribbean, Central America, the Southern Cone, Andean States, and Eastern South America. In the U.S. alone, from 2017 to 2025, the number of transgender politicians rose 1800%[1] despite candidates facing obstacles in raising money for campaigns.[2] Elsewhere, transgender politicians have been gaining prominence as well, with political allegiances "fairly spread between parties of the left, center and independents,"[3][4] with some noting trans politicians making clear the "importance of representation in government" to ensure adequate political participation.[5][6]
Asia
East Asia
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Akasaka | Councilor of Kameoka City Council | 2019 | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | Described as aiming to create a place where people can speak comfortably on LGBTQ issues.[7] | Japan |
| Ayako Fuchigami | Assembly member of Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly | 2019– | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | Represented Sapporo's Higashi-ku ward. First openly trans person to hold a prefectural assembly position in Japan.[8][9] | Japan |
| Tomoya Hosoda | Council member of Iruma, Saitama Prefecture | 2017–2023 | N/A, Independent | Trans man | Second openly transgender official in Japan after Aya Kamikawa, and first trans man to hold public office in Japan.[10][11][12] | Japan |
| 2025– | ||||||
| Aya Kamikawa | Assembly member of Setagaya Ward Assembly | 2003– | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | Represents Tokyo’s Setagaya ward. First openly transgender person to seek or win elected office in Japan.[13][14] | Japan |
| Audrey Tang | Taiwan Minister without Portfolio | 2016–2022 | N/A, Independent | Trans non-binary woman | The first transgender person and the first non-binary official in the top executive cabinet.[15][16][17] | Taiwan |
| Taiwan Minister for Digital Affairs | 2022–2024 |
South Asia
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shabnam Bano (aka Shabnam "Mausi") | Legislator of Madhya Pradesh State Legislative Assembly | 2000–2003 | Jeeti Jitayi Politics[a] | Intersex Hijra person | First transgender person to be elected to public office in India.[18][19] | India |
| Niluka Ekanayake | Provincial governor of Central Province | 2016–2018 | Trans woman | First LGBTQ+ person and first trans woman to serve as provincial governor in Sri Lanka, and is considered to be the first openly transgender head of a government in the world.[20] | Sri Lanka | |
| Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province | 2018 | |||||
| Kamla Jaan | Mayor of Katni, central Madhya Pradesh | 2000 | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | India's first transgender mayor.[21][22] In 2002, a judge in Madhya Pradesh ruled that she was legally male and could not hold an office reserved for women.[23] | India |
| Kamla Kinnar (aka Kamla "Bua") | Mayor of Sagar, Madhya Pradesh | 2009 | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | Was later unseated on "technical grounds," like Kamla Jaan, with courts declaring that her gender identity was invalid.[24] | India |
| Madhu Kinnar | Mayor of Raigarh Municipal Corporation | 2015–2020 | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | India's first openly transgender mayor.[25][26] | India |
Southeast Asia
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jhane Estrella dela Cruz | Barangay captain of Iba, Hagonoy | 2013- | Trans woman | First elected in 2013,[27] still serving as of April 2026.[28] In 2018, she was presented with an award for community service and an award recognizing Iba as the "cleanest barangay" in Bulacan.[29] | Philippines | |
| Kety Haji Jalla | Legislator of People's Representative Council | 2009–2014 | Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle | Trans woman | Represented North Maluku.[30] | Indonesia |
| Hendrika Mayora Victoria | Legislator of Habi Village Representative Council | 2021– | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | First transgender Indonesian to "hold public office."[31] | Indonesia |
| Ruvic Rea | Barangay captain of Angeles Zone 4 | 2001-c. 2006 | Trans woman | While serving as village chief, she was sexually assaulted by two other local officials.[27][32] She later moved to the UK.[33] Reportedly the first openly transgender woman to hold political office in the Philippines.[34] | Philippines | |
| Geraldine B. Roman | Representative of Congress of the Philippines | 2016–2025 | Liberal Party (2015–2017) | Trans woman | First trans person elected to the Congress of the Philippines.[35][36][37] | Philippines |
| Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (2017–2020) | ||||||
| Lakas–CMD (2020–present) | ||||||
| Hazreen Shaik Daud | Political secretary of Penang State Legislative Assembly | 2013– | Democratic Action Party | Trans woman | Political secretary of Teh Yee Cheu from the Democratic Action Party, representing Tanjung Bungah, and described "first transgender in politics" in Malaysia.[38] | Malaysia |
| Yollada Suanyot | Representative of Provincial Administration Organization of Nan Province | 2012 | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | Represents Mueang Nan District and described as "one of Thailand's more famous transgender cover girls...[and] the country's highest-ranking transexual politician."[39] | Thailand |
| Tanwarin Sukkhapisit | MP of House of Representatives | 2019–2022 | Future Forward Party (2018–2020) | Kathoey | First openly transgender MP in the House of Representatives in Thailand.[40][41] | Thailand |
| Move Forward Party | ||||||
| Rania Zara Medina | Trans health consultant of Country Coordinating Mechanism committee | 2021– | Trans woman | Appointed by Ministry of Health Malaysia, with appointment remaining despite pushback.[42][43] | Malaysia |
Europe
Central Europe
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Grodzka | MP of Sejm | 2011–2015 | Your Movement | Trans woman | Described as "only trans parliament member" in the world at the time of her election.[44] | Poland |
| The Greens |
Southern Europe
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carla Antonelli | Member of Assembly of Madrid | 2011–2021 | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (1997–2022) | Trans woman | First openly trans person to be elected to the Cortes Generales, as well as the first openly trans person to serve in a regional legislature in Spain.[45] | Spain |
| 2023– | Más Madrid (2023–) | |||||
| Senator of Senate of Spain | Sumar (2023–) | |||||
| Marcella Di Folco | Municipal councilor in Bologna | 1995–1998 | Federation of the Greens | Trans woman | Described as a "transgender icon," she was the first open trans woman to hold a political public office in the world.[46][verification needed] | Italy |
| Jimena González | Member of Assembly of Madrid | 2023– | Más Madrid | Trans woman | Elected in 2023,[47] she was first transgender person to run for election under a preferred given name rather than a legal given name during her first, and filed, electoral run in 2021.[48][49] | Spain |
| Vladimir Luxuria | MP in Chamber of Deputies | 2006–2008 | Communist Refoundation Party | Trans woman | Represented Lazio 1 constituency and first openly transgender MP in Europe.[50] | Italy |
| Porpora Marcasciano | Municipal councilor in Bologna | 2021 | Civic Coalition – Courageous Ecologist Solidarity | Trans woman | She was elected as part of the majority.[51] On November 11, 2021, she was elected President of the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Bologna City Council. | Italy |
| Gianmarco Negri | Mayor of Tromello, Province of Pavia | 2019 | Trans man | First transgender mayor elected in Italy.[52][53] | Italy | |
| Monica Romano | Municipal councilor in Milan | 2021 | Democratic Party | Trans woman | First transgender councilor in Milan.[54] | Italy |
| Manuela Trasobares | Town Councilor in Geldo | 2007 | Democratic Republican Action | Trans woman | First trans person, in Spain, that was elected.[55] | Spain |
Northern Europe
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Atkin-Withers | Sheffield City Councillor | 2026– | Green Party of England and Wales | Non-Binary | United Kingdom | |
| Lina Axelsson Kihlblom | Minister for Schools in Andersson cabinet | 2021–2022 | Swedish Social Democratic Party | Trans woman | First transgender cabinet minister in Swedish history.[56][57] | Sweden |
| Jenny Bailey | Cambridge City Councillor, East Chesterton Ward | 2002–2008 | Liberal Democrats | Trans woman | United Kingdom | |
| Mayor of Cambridge | 2007–2008 | First transgender mayor in the United Kingdom.[58] Bailey herself was keen to play down the significance of her appointment, saying, "I don't want to let it define me."[59] | ||||
| Helen Clare Belcher | Wiltshire Councillor | 2021– | Liberal Democrats | Trans woman | Elected in 2021,[60] and a British transgender activist. | United Kingdom |
| Little Brighouse | Powys County Councillor | 2022- | Liberal Democrats (May 2022) | Trans-nonbinary | Elected in 2022 as a Liberal Democrat, but soon after was suspended by the party pending investigation into content regarding Palestine on social media.[61] Brighouse identifies as "trans-nonbinary," according the Brecon and Radnor Express.[62] | United Kingdom |
| Non-affiliated (2022-present) | ||||||
| Violet Bonetta | East Devon District Councillor | 2023– | Labour Party | Trans woman | First trans councillor and youngest Councillor elected to council of East Evan District, with Bonetta saying she was "immensely proud" to have the position.[63] | United Kingdom |
| Alexandra Briem | President of Reykjavík City Council | 2021– | Pirate Party | Trans woman | First trans council leader in Reykjavík and first trans person to hold political office in Iceland.[64][65] | Iceland |
| Sarah Brown | Cambridge City Councillor, Petersfield | 2010–2014 | Liberal Democrats | Trans woman | Was the first openly transgender politician in the U.K. "for several years" and campaigned for trans rights.[66][67] | United Kingdom |
| Charlie Caine | Norwich City Councillor | 2024- | Green Party of England and Wales | Gay trans man | Identifies as a gay trans man, and is also a political activist and founder of Labour Campaign For Trans Rights.[68] | United Kingdom |
| Rachel Clarke | Torridge District Councillor (2021-2023) | 2021-2025 | Conservative Party (2021-2022) | Trans woman | Was elected as a Conservative Councillor in 2021 but came out and left her former party affiliation on the death of her wife.[69] She has since stood as a candidate for the Liberal Democrats.[70] | United Kingdom |
| Mayor of Bideford (2024-2025) | Independent (2022-2025) | |||||
| Liberal Democrats (2025-present) | ||||||
| Iris Duane | Member of Scottish Parliament from Glasgow | 2026-present | Scottish Greens | Trans woman | With Dr Q Manivannan, became one of the first two transgender MSPs when elected in 2026.[71] | United Kingdom |
| Sarah Fanet | Member of The Highland Council for Fort William & Ardnamurchan | 2021–2025 | Scottish National Party | Trans woman | Serving on the Highland Council,[72] she was the first transgender councillor in the Highlands.[73] | United Kingdom |
| Elaine Gallagher | Glasgow City Councillor | 2022– | Scottish Greens | Trans woman | First trans councillor for Glasgow who hoped, after she was elected, that it would indicate that transgender people should not be seen as a threat.[74] | United Kingdom |
| Osh Gantly | London Borough of Islington Councillor | 2014-2022 | Labour Party | Trans woman | First transgender councillor for the Labour Party in Islington, representing Highbury East.[75] | United Kingdom |
| Raphael Hill | Brighton and Hove City Councillor | 2023– | Green Party of England and Wales | Trans woman | First transgender councillor for Brighton.[76][77] | United Kingdom |
| Tammy Hymas | London Borough of Haringey Councillor | 2023–2025 | Labour Party | Trans woman | Represented St Ann's ward and first trans councillor, for the Labour Party, in Haringey,[78] and later said she faced "abuse and threats for being a transgender woman in politics."[79] | United Kingdom |
| Zoë Kirk-Robinson | Bolton Councillor for Westhoughton North and Chew Moor | 2016–2019 | Conservative Party | Trans woman | In 2016, criticized a Labour Party member for misgendering her during a council meeting, reporting it to the police as hate crime.[80] | United Kingdom |
| Jenny Knight | Norwich City Councillor | 2025 - | Green Party of England and Wales | Trans woman | City and County Councillor in Sewell Ward/Division, Chair of the Trans Greens, Norwich City Cabinet Member for Culture and Wellbeing.[81][82][83] | United Kingdom |
| Kira Lewis | London Borough of Waltham Forest Councillor | 2022- | Labour Party | Non-binary | Resigned a cabinet office following a petition after her social media post calling Hamas "no good for Palestinians and no good for Jews," claiming the organization "wants a fundamentalist Muslim dictatorship on the land from the river to the sea, devoid of all Jews" and called Hamas "evil," adding that Israeli bombardment in Gaza is bad "but not evil."[84] She identifies as transgender and non-binary.[85] | United Kingdom |
| Trans | ||||||
| Dr Q Manivannan | Member of Scottish Parliament from Edinburgh and Lothians East | 2026-present | Scottish Greens | Trans non-binary | With Iris Duane, became one of the first two transgender MSPs when elected in 2026.[71] | United Kingdom |
| Rosalind Mitchell | Bristol City Councillor | 1997–1999 | Labour Party (1982–2010) | Trans woman | In September 1997, while a serving member of Bristol City Council,[86] she announced her intention to transition and was the first British politician to do so while holding elected office.[87][88][89] | United Kingdom |
| Mia Mulder | Councillor of Sollentuna | 2022–2025 | Left Party | Bisexual trans woman | Elected in 2022,[90][91] and noted on social media, in June 2020, that she is bisexual.[92] | Sweden |
| Anwen Muston | City of Wolverhampton Council for East Park | 2016–2024 | Labour Party | Trans woman | First openly transgender woman to be elected as a Labour representative.[93] | United Kingdom |
| Gregor Murray | Dundee Councillor | 2017-2022 | Scottish National Party | Non-binary transgender | Elected in 2017,[94] afterwards left politics citing pressures associated with social media.[95] Was the first, and, at the time, only openly transgender politician in Scotland.[96] | United Kingdom |
| Chris Northwood | Manchester City Councillor | 2023– | Liberal Democrats | Trans woman | Said on social media that she was elected "with a majority of 335."[97] | United Kingdom |
| Zoe O'Connell | Cambridge City Councillor, Trumpington Ward | 2015–2019 | Liberal Democrats | Trans woman | Prominent campaigner for transgender rights who is in a polyamorous relationship with Sarah Brown, Sylvia Knight (Sarah's wife), and several snakes.[98][99] | United Kingdom |
| Tanya-Jayne Park | Eastleigh Councillor | 2021– | Liberal Democrats | Trans woman | Describes herself as a "fifty something transwoman entrepreneur."[100] Elected to the council in 2021, under the name "Tanya Park."[101][102] | United Kingdom |
| Hannah Phillips | Lymington and Pennington Town Councillor | 2023– | Liberal Democrats | Trans woman | Phillips has been the target of significant harassment and receives regular death threats.[103][104] | United Kingdom |
| Mark Rees | Tunbridge Wells Borough Councillor | 1994-1998 | Liberal Democrats | Trans man | Having been denied access to ordained ministry by the Church of England on account of him being legally female, he worked throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s for transgender rights in the UK.[105][106] Likely the first openly transgender man to be elected to public office in the UK. | United Kingdom |
| Kaz Self | Bristol City Councillor | 2024– | Labour Party | Trans woman | First openly transgender woman to be elected as a Bristol councillor.[107] | United Kingdom |
| Nikki Sinclaire | MEP for West Midlands | 2009–2014 | UK Independence Party (until 2010) | Lesbian trans woman | First ever trans British parliamentarian, coming out in 2013.[108] Previously, in 2004, Sinclaire came out as lesbian in a letter to the LGBTQ newspaper The Pink Paper.[109] | United Kingdom |
| We Demand a Referendum Now (2012–2014) | ||||||
| Tania Stevenson | Ockbrook and Borrowash Parish Councillor | 2023– | Independent | Trans woman | First trans councillor for Borrowash.[110][111] | United Kingdom |
| Dylan Tippetts | Plymouth City Councillor | 2022–2025 | Labour Party (2022–2025) | Trans man | Following his election he said that he hoped that it would help "dial down hate and division."[74] | United Kingdom |
| Liberal Democrats (2025–) | ||||||
| Katie Wallis | MP for Bridgend | 2019–2024 | Conservative Party | Trans woman | Come as transgender in 2022.[112] | United Kingdom |
| Alexandra Ward-Slotte | Councillor in the municipality of Stenungsund | 2019 | Moderates | Trans woman | Member of West Pride Board, pushed for improvements for lives of trans people including in healthcare.[113] | Sweden |
| Rachael Webb | London Borough of Lambeth Councillor | 1986-1994 | Labour Party | Trans woman | A lorry driver and Transport and General Workers Union activist, she represented Ferndale ward and afterwards Gipsy Hill.[114][115] Reportedly, the first openly transgender individual to be elected in the UK.[114] | United Kingdom |
| Isla Wrathmell | Lambeth London Borough Councillor | 2022– | Labour Party | Trans woman | Described herself as a proud trans woman who was standing with her "Labour colleagues to support a ban on conversion therapy for trans people."[116] | United Kingdom |
Western Europe
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Broßart | MP of Bundestag | 2025– | Alliance 90/The Greens | Trans woman | Third openly transgender person elected to the German parliament after Nyke Slawik and Tessa Ganserer.[117][118] | Germany |
| Marie Cau | Mayor of Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes | 2020–2025 | Trans woman | First openly transgender mayor in France.[119] | France | |
| Camille Cabral | Councilor of the 17th arrondissement of Paris | 2001–2008 | The Greens | Trans woman | First trans woman to be elected in the history of the French Republic.[120][121] | France |
| Petra De Sutter | Member of Belgian Senate | 2014–2019 | Groen | Lesbian trans woman | First candidate, on a Belgian election list, who was openly transgender, and asserted that trans woman can, unlike other individuals, understand "the sensitivities of both genders and can therefore be good diplomats and, hence, politicians" and noted she is a lesbian.[122] | Belgium |
| MEP for Belgium | 2019–2020 | Recognized for her work as an MEP on sexual and reproductive rights.[123] | ||||
| Belgian Minister for Civil Service, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and Postal Services | 2020–2025 | Europe's first transgender deputy prime minister, and the most senior trans politician in Europe when sworn in 2020.[124][125] | ||||
| Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium | ||||||
| Tessa Ganserer | Member of Landtag of Bavaria | 2013–2021 | The Greens | Trans woman | Representing Middle Franconia. Came out as trans in 2018, becoming the first openly transgender person in a German state or federal parliament.[126][127] | Germany |
| MP of Bundestag | 2021–2025 | Alliance 90/The Greens | Representing Bavaria, and because her government records remain unchanged, she was forced to appear on the ballot under her deadname.[128] | |||
| Lilian Haak | Municipal councillor for Apeldoorn | 2018– | Trans woman | One of first four transgender councillors elected, in the Netherlands, in 2018, with the others being Michelle van Doorn, Sophie Schers, and Corine van Dun, and transitioned in 2014.[129][130] | Netherlands | |
| Felix Reda | MEP | 2014–2019 | Pirate Party | Trans man | Transitioned after leaving office, coming out as trans in January 2022.[131] | Germany |
| Christian Schenk | MP of Bundestag | 1990–2002 | Independent Women's Association Party | Trans man | Transitioned after leaving office.[132] | Germany |
| Party of Democratic Socialism | ||||||
| Sophie Schers | Municipal councillor for Utrecht | 2018–2022 | GroenLinks | Trans woman | Described herself, prior to her election, as a "lesbian trans person."[129] On her website, she calls herself "a transgender activist and feminist,"[133] | Netherlands |
| Nyke Slawik | MP of Bundestag | 2021– | Alliance 90/The Greens | Trans woman | Representing North Rhine-Westphalia and she was, along with Tessa Ganserer, the first trans elected representatives to enter the Bundestag.[134][127] | Germany |
| Michelle van Doorn | Municipal councillor for Nijmegen | 2018– | Party for the Animals | Trans woman | Leader of the Party for the Animals electoral list when elected.[129] | Netherlands |
| Corine van Dun | Municipal councillor for Utrecht | 2018– | Democrats 66 | Trans woman | One of first four transgender councillors.[129] | Netherlands |
| Lisa van Ginneken | Member of the House of Representatives | 2021–2023 | Democrats 66 | Trans woman | First transgender person to be elected into the Dutch House of Representatives, where she is her party's spokesperson for IT, privacy, family law, and mobility.[135][136] | Netherlands |
Northern America
Canada
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estefan Cortes-Vargas | MLA of Legislative Assembly of Alberta | 2015–2019 | New Democratic Party | Non-binary and transgender | Represented Strathcona-Sherwood Park. First openly trans, non-binary, queer MLA in Canada.[137] |
| Lyra Evans | Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Trustee | 2018 | Trans woman | First openly transgender school trustee in Canada and previously a candidate for member of provincial parliament in Ontario.[138][139] | |
| Amita Kuttner | Interim Leader of Green Party of Canada | 2021–2022 | Non-binary, trans, and pansexual | First transgender person and first person of East Asian descent to lead a federal party in Canada,[140] who is non-binary and a pansexual astrophysicist.[141][142][143] | |
| Julie Lemieux | Mayor of Très-Saint-Rédempteur, Quebec | 2013– | Trans woman | First openly transgender mayor in Canada.[144][145][146] | |
| Logan Oxenham | Legislator of Legislative Assembly of Manitoba | 2023– | New Democratic Party of Manitoba | Trans man | Canada's first transgender politician elected to either a provincial, territorial or federal elected office.[147] |
| Teri Westerby | School Board Trustee of Chilliwack | 2022 | Trans man | First openly transgender person elected in British Columbia.[148] |
United States
This is a partial list of notable firsts. For a more complete list, see the main article.
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah McBride | Representative for Delaware, United States House of Representatives | 2024– | Democratic Party | Trans woman | First transgender member of the US Congress and highest elected officeholder in the United States.[149] Previously elected to the Delaware Senate in 2020, McBride is also the first transgender state senator in United States history.[150][151] |
| Joanne Marie Conte | Councilor of Arvada, Colorado City Council | 1991–1995 | N/A, Independent | Trans woman | Perhaps the first openly transgender person to elected to public office in the U.S.[152] |
| Danica Roem | Legislator of Virginia House of Delegates | 2024– | Democratic Party | Trans woman | First openly transgender person to be elected and serve in a state legislature.[b][153] When Roem was elected to the Virginia Senate, she became the first transgender person to be elected and serve in both houses of a state legislature in the U.S. and the first transgender state senator in the Southern United States.[154] |
| James Roesener | Legislator of New Hampshire House of Representatives | 2022– | Democratic Party | Bisexual trans man | First openly transgender man elected to a state legislature in 2022.[155][156][157] |
Oceania
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgina Beyer | Council member of Carterton District Council | 1993 | New Zealand Labour Party (1999–2007) | Trans woman | New Zealand | |
| Mayor of Carterton | 1995–2000 | World's first openly transgender mayor.[158] | ||||
| MP of New Zealand Parliament | 1999–2005 | Representing Wairarapa and world's first openly transgender member of parliament.[158] | ||||
| Jade Darko | Councilor of Clarence City Council | 2022 | Green Party | Trans woman | First trans woman to have a seat on a council in Tasmania.[159][160] | Australia |
| Jax Fox | Councilor of Hobart City Council | 2018–2022 | Independent | Non-binary trans woman | First elected political officeholder in Tasmania to be openly non-binary and transgender.[161][162] Described themselves as an "out and proud nonbinary queer" and noted their dead name.[163][164] | Australia |
| Jacquie Grant | Councillor of Grey District | 1998–2004 | Trans woman | Later became "Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit" in 2018.[165] | New Zealand | |
| Paige Johnson | Councilor of Newcastle City Council | 2024 | Labor Party | Trans woman | First openly transgender councilor for Newcastle.[166] | Australia |
Latin America and the Caribbean
Caribbean
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adela Hernández | Councilor of Municipal Council of Caibarién in Ville Clara Province | 2012 | Trans woman | First trans woman elected to office in Cuba, said to reflect an "evolving" country.[167][168][169] | Cuba | |
| Tamara Adrián | MP of National Assembly of Venezuela | 2015 | Popular Will | Trans woman | Secondly only openly transgender member of a national legislature in the Western Hemisphere.[170] | Venezuela |
| Jowelle de Souza | Senator of Senate of Trinidad and Tobago | 2022– | Independent | Trans woman | First transgender parliamentarian in Caribbean history.[171][172]
[173] de Souza was the first trans person to have gender reassignment surgery in the country, in 1993, at age 19.[174] |
Trinidad and Tobago |
Central America
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| María Clemente García | Deputy of Chamber of Deputies | 2021– | Morena (until 2022) | Trans woman | Elected same year as another trans legislator, in Mexico, Salma Luévano.[175][176] | Mexico |
| Independent | ||||||
| Salma Luévano | Deputy of Chamber of Deputies | 2021–2024 | Morena | Trans woman | Elected same year as another trans legislator, in Mexico, Salma Luévano.[176][175] | Mexico |
| Gerhard Phillip Hernández Padilla | Second Vice Mayor of the Municipality of the Canton of Moravia | 2024– | Somos Moravia | Trans man | Costa Rica's first out transgender elected official.[177][178][179] | Costa Rica |
Southern Cone
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zuliana Araya | Councilor of Valparaíso | 2012–2016 | Party for Democracy | Trans woman | Chile's first trans city council member.[180][181] | Chile |
| 2016–2020 | ||||||
| Alejandra González Pino | Councilor of Lampa | 2004–2016 | Independent | Trans woman | First elected transgender politician in Chile.[182] | Chile |
| Humanist Party (after 2023) | ||||||
| Mara Pérez Reynoso | Diversity Area Chief of Argentina Ministry of Security | 2016 | Republican Proposal | Trans woman | First transgender public official in Argentina's government.[183] | Argentina |
| Alba Rueda | Undersecretary of Diversity Policies of Argentina Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity | 2020–2022 | Frente de Todos (2019–2023) | Trans woman | First openly transgender politician in Argentina to hold a senior governmental position.[184][185] | Argentina |
| Emilia Schneider | MP of Chamber of Deputies | 2022– | Comunes | Trans woman | Represents District 10 and first openly transgender person to be elected to the Chamber of Deputies.[186] | Chile |
| Social Convergence (until 2024) | ||||||
| Michelle Suárez Bértora | MP of General Assembly of Uruguay | 2014–2017 | Trans woman | First openly transgender person elected to office in Uruguay.[187] | Uruguay | |
| Senator of Senate of Uruguay | 2017–2018 | The first openly transgender senator in the nation's history, and resigned in 2017 following a criminal investigation finding her guilty of forging legal documents while working as an attorney.[188] | ||||
| Sandra Edith "Tía Gaucha" Tancredi | Councilor of Escobar, Buenos Aires Province | 2022–2025 | Trans woman | First trans councilwoman in Argentina[189] | Argentina |
Andean States
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| París Galán | Legislator of La Paz Departmental Legislative Assembly | 2015–2021 | Sovereignty and Liberty (2014–2021) | Trans man and non-binary | One of just two queer people and the second gay man in Bolivia to have held political office as a lawmaker, after Manuel Canelas.[190] | Bolivia |
| Matilda Gonzalez | Secretary of Women's and Gender Equality for Manizales | 2020 | Trans woman | Her appointment was celebrated by supporters of LGBTQ rights, but opposed by conservative groups, who demanded her resignation.[191][192] | Colombia | |
| Diane Marie Rodríguez Zambrano | Alternate member of National Assembly | 2017–2021 | PAIS Alliance | Trans woman | Represented Guayas Province and first trans member of the National Assembly of Ecuador.[193] | Ecuador |
| Luisa Revilla | Councillor of La Esperanza | 2015–2018 | Movimiento Regional para el Desarrollo con Seguridad y Honradez | Trans woman | In Trujillo Province and celebrated with her election making history.[158] | Peru |
Eastern South America
| Name | Office held | Tenure | Political party | Identity | Notes | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dani Balbi | Deputy of Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro | 2022– | Communist Party of Brazil | Trans woman | First trans state deputy in Rio de Janeiro and selected as chair of the state Labour, Legislation and Social Security Committee in 2023.[194] | Brazil |
| Linda Brasil | Councilor of Aracaju | 2020– | Socialism and Liberty Party | Trans woman | First trans woman elected to a parliamentary position in the state of Sergipe, Brazil.[195] | Brazil |
| Erika Hilton | Councilor of Municipal Chamber of São Paulo | 2021–2023 | Socialism and Liberty Party (2015–present) | Trans woman | First trans woman elected to the Municipal Chamber of São Paulo, receiving the most votes for any councilor in the country.[196] | Brazil |
| Legislator of Chamber of Deputies | 2023– | Elected alongside Duda Salabert, a trans woman, in 2022.[197] | ||||
| Symmy Larrat | Brazil National Secretary for the Promotion and Defense of the Rights of LGBTQIA+ People | 2023– | Workers' Party | Trans woman | Served as president of Associação Brasileira de Lésbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Travestis, Transexuais e Intersexos from 2017 and 2022 and once she became National Secretary, she spoke about issues impacting trans people in Brazil, including around employment[198] | Brazil |
| Robeyoncé Lima | State Deputy of Legislative Assembly of Pernambuco | 2018– | Socialism and Liberty Party | Trans woman | Elected same year as Erika Hilton and Erica Malunguinho, two trans women, in other legislative positions in Brazil, and said that she, and the other legislators want to "serve as an example for other trans girls to occupy this institutional space."[199] | Brazil |
| Érica Malunguinho da Silva | State Deputy of Legislative Assembly of São Paulo | 2018– | Socialism and Liberty Party | Trans woman | First trans person elected to a Brazilian state legislature.[200] | Brazil |
| Thammy Miranda | Councilor of Municipal Chamber of São Paulo | 2021– | Brazilian Socialist Party (2018–2020) | Trans man | First trans man elected to the Municipal Chamber of São Paulo.[201] | Brazil |
| Social Democratic Party (2024–) | ||||||
| Thabatta Pimenta | Councilor of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte | 2025– | Socialism and Liberty Party (2024–) | Trans woman | First trans city councilor in Natal.[202] | Brazil |
| Duda Salabert | Councilor of Belo Horizonte | 2021–2023 | Democratic Labour Party | Trans woman | First trans city councillor elected in Belo Horizonte.[203] | Brazil |
| Legislator of Federal Congress | 2023– | Elected alongside a trans woman named Erika Hilton in 2022.[197] | ||||
| Kátia Tapety | Alderwoman of Colônia do Piauí | 1993–2004 | Democrats (1992–2003) | Trans woman | First elected transgender politician in Brazil and later described as "city councilor of the people."[204][205] | Brazil |
| Vice-Mayor of Colônia do Piauí | 2005–2008 | Cidadania (2003–present) | ||||
| Brazilian Socialist Party | ||||||