Woman Becomes Ohio’s First Openly Transgender City Council Member

Arienne Childrey, who previously ran for the Statehouse, has been appointed as Ohio’s first openly transgender city council member. On Monday, Childrey was sworn in as the Fourth Ward council member for St. Marys. The appointment comes after the county’s Democratic Party Central Committee selected her to fill Robin Willoughby’s seat— who retired last year.

Childrey expressed her commitment to inclusivity and responsiveness in her statement:

“I understand what it’s like to face challenges and to feel as though your voice is going unheard. That’s why I am deeply committed to ensuring that every resident of St. Marys has a seat at the table and that our city government remains responsive, transparent, and accountable.”

The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund praised Childrey’s selection as a milestone for transgender representation in Ohio’s government.

Childrey will serve the remainder of Willoughby’s term, which finishes at the end of this year. In her new role, she plans to collaborate with fellow council members to address community priorities and thanked Willoughby for her years of service.

RELATED: Gov. Mike DeWine Passes Transgender Bathroom Ban Bill

Childrey’s political journey includes a campaign run for the Ohio House’s 84th district, where she ran as a Democratic nominee and focused on bipartisan solutions for housing reform and healthcare access. Although she lost to Republican Rep. Angie King, her campaign stood out for addressing misconceptions about the transgender community.

During her statehouse candidacy, Arienne Childrey faced challenges with ballot qualifications due to name disclosure requirements that nearly disqualified her. This sparked legislative discussions on candidacy laws, leading to updates in the forms by Secretary of State Frank LaRose to accommodate transgender candidates better.

Woman Becomes Ohio’s First Openly Transgender City Council Member  was originally published on mycolumbusmagic.com