Rainbow wave 🌈

November 09, 2022

There is only one place to start this morning and that is with elections. The 2022 midterms showed a significant growth in trans, nonbinary and gender non-conforming candidates as well as LGBTQ candidates of color. On November 9th the Victory Fund reported that at least 340 out LGBTQ candidates running in the 2022 midterms have won their elections, the most in U.S. history. More victories are expected in the coming days. At least 1,065 out LGBTQ people ran for office this year – a historic number.

Here are some election highlights:

She shoots she scores (sorry, we absolutely had to). Maura Healey was elected the first lesbian governor in the nation yesterday. Maura Healey is going from the basketball court, where she played for Harvard and then professionally, to the Massachusetts governor's house. And she may share this history making moment with out lesbian, Tina Kotek, a former state House speaker, who is leading in the polls for the Oregon gubernatorial race. Fingers crossed for good news today.

Maura Healey

People from LGBTQ+ communities comprise roughly 0.2% of all elected officials despite making up around 7.1% of the U.S. adult population. Here are some stand out election stats from Axios that highlight our progress.

  • California's Robert Garcia (D), who is gay and Peruvian American, will be the first out LGBTQ immigrant in Congress.

  • James Roesener (D) in New Hampshire became the first out transgender man to win a state legislature race.

  • In Connecticut, Erick Russell (D) won the race to serve as treasurer, becoming the first-ever Black out LGBTQ candidate elected to statewide office in U.S. history.

  • For the first time in U.S. history, LGBTQ candidates ran for election in all 50 states and the District of Columbia this cycle.

  • A record 678 LGBTQ candidates were on the ballot this November, according to an October report released by the political action committee LGBTQ Victory Fund. That marks an 18.1% increase from the 2020 elections.

  • George Santos, the projected winner of New York’s 3rd Congressional District race, will be the only LGBTQ Republican in Congress. His election against Zimmerman was believed to have been the first congressional general election between two openly gay candidates in U.S. history.

New gay TV on the horizon! We’re feeling #thankful for all the gay shows arriving on our screens this November. Returning shows include Elite, Manifest, Dead To Me, Warrior Nun, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and The L Word: Generation Q. Check out the full list on Autostraddle, and let us know which shows you’re most excited about.

Gender and math, or something. Some interesting #gender at play during the New York City Marathon this year. The New York Times reports that “The top American finishers in the men’s and women’s races will receive $100,000,” while “The prize for the top nonbinary runner is $5,000.” If you’re gay and good at math, please let us know if this number makes any sense. We’d also love to hear your thoughts if you’re bad at math.

Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, gave a speech at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards and has urged supporters to write to Brittney and keep on supporting their fight. You can find info on how to write a letter to Brittney at wearebg.org. While you’re at it, you might consider becoming a pen pal and writing to other incarcerated LGBTQ folks, which you can do here.

Other dispatches from the little gay people inside of the internet:

Until next time,

The collective spirit of all the horny people posting on Lex this cuffing season

This newsletter was written by Nicole Ripka (politics) and Kira Deshler (everything else!)