Newly elected congresswoman flies trans pride flag outside office

While the political climate has - in the opinions of many - been a minefield since the 2016 elections, January 3rd was a day of hope.

Congress welcomed the most diverse assembly of freshman lawmakers in history, including a record number of newly elected female Congresswoman. Alongside the youngest female legislator, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, there was the first Somali-American, the first Palestinian-American, and two Native American women sworn in last Thursday.

To solidify this groundwork, Virginia's newly elected Rep. Jennifer Wexton made her allegiance to the transgender community clear: hanging a trans pride flag next to the state flag outside her office.

Wexton explained to the Washingtonian that she hung the flag in honour of her transgender relative, and the trans community writ large. "The trans community has been under attack," she said. "I wanted to show my solidarity because we are talking about my friends and family."

Danica Roam, the first openly transgender woman to be elected to Virginia's legislature, took to Twitter to thank Wexton for the public display of support. "Thank you, Rep. @JenniferWexton. I’m proud to call you my congresswoman," she asserted.

During her tenure in the Virginia General Assembly, Wexton fought diligently for LGBTQ+ rights. She was duly endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign - and they have since praised her decision to display the flag.

However, Wexton is not the first legislator to wave the pastel flag within the Capitol's halls. California's former Rep. Mike Honda hung the transgender pride flag outside the office in support of his transgender grandchild.