"It has never been a more important time for the next generation to see themselves in our government. It has never been a more important time for those closest to our state's problems to be structuring the solutions," Turner said back in February.

In a historic win, Mauree Turner has been elected to Oklahoma's state House, becoming one of the first openly nonbinary state lawmakers in the U.S. and the first Muslim to serve in Oklahoma's state legislature. pic.twitter.com/izftSHU4lE

— AJ+ (@ajplus) November 8, 2020

In a statement to Openly, GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis lauded the wins and said it was a historic night for much of the country.

"Tonight's wins for LGBTQ people of color and transgender Americans across the country are historic and long overdue," Ellis said.

"Their victories represent a leap forward for LGBTQ acceptance and a demand for more of the progress and equality that their very presence demonstrates," Ellis added.

Jabari Brisport won his state senate race in New York, making him New York's first openly LGBT+ Black lawmaker.

"The more of us that run, the better. We have to keep pushing and open the door wider and wider for more of our queer siblings to enter politics as well and fight for an agenda that uplifts us as equal citizens like everyone else," Brisport told Openly.

The LGBTQ Victory Institute released its 2020 Out for America report in July and highlighted the new wave of LGBTQ+ candidates who are taking office.

The report found that there are now 843 known openly LGBTQ+ elected officials across the country, representing a 71% increase in queer elected officials since 2019.

"While LGBTQ people are running for office in historic numbers, we remain severely underrepresented at every level of government – and that must change. We know that when LGBTQ people are in elected office and in the halls of power, they change the hearts and minds of their colleagues and it leads to more inclusive legislation," said Annise Parker, president and CEO of the Victory Institute and the former mayor of Houston.

As Blavity previously
reported, the study found that since the 2019 election season, there has been a 21% increase in LGBTQ+ elected officials and a 35% increase in LGBTQ+ mayors. Just 0.17% of political positions are held by members of the community despite the population of LGBTQ+ people being about 4.5% of the adult U.S. population. At least 22,000 more LGBTQ+ people need to be elected among the country's 519,682 elected positions in order to achieve true equity, according to the report.

“Over the past year, LGBTQ elected officials have been on the frontlines — leading efforts to end racism, blocking bills targeting the trans community and passing legislation that moves equality forward for our community. Allies are important, but LGBTQ representation in the halls of power is critical to the success of our movement,” said Institute Vice President Ruben Gonzales in a statement.

Mauree-Turner

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