America's First Transgender Mayor: Stu Rasmussen

SILVERTON, Ore. — Plenty of politicians reinvent themselves, but few do it quite like Mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen.

Rasmussen has been a fixture in Silverton politics for more than 20 years, and had twice before been mayor of the small city 45 miles south of Portland. Those terms, however, were before his breast implants and before the once-discreet crossdresser started wearing dresses and 3-inch heels in public.

Silverton has made Rasmussen the country's first openly transgender mayor, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that works to help openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people win elected office.

Rasmussen, 60, unseated incumbent mayor Ken Hector, with whom he had long clashed, by 1,988 votes to 1,512.

Because Rasmussen's appearance was no secret, the campaign was dominated by policy issues.

"I've blackmail-proofed myself," Rasmussen said.

The story of Rasmussen's election was first reported by JustOut, a bimonthly publication for Portland's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.

"Stu never sought this recognition out," said JustOut reporter Stephen Marc Beaudoin. "He's interested in doing a great job for the community that he loves. The gender identity thing is just a total backseat thing."

That comes across when Rasmussen speaks in his decidedly masculine voice.

"I am a dude," he said. "I am a heterosexual male who appears to be a female."

His longtime live-in girlfriend, Victoria Sage, told The Oregonian newspaper that she and Rasmussen have been an item for almost 35 years.

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Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com

Comments

[BleedingArtLiberal]

Congratulations, Stu!
And congratulations to all of us as Americans, for knocking down yet another one of those barriers that divide us!

[PinkyBear]

I think it is wonderful that Stu is able to express himself and be supported.

[popples]

Haha that's awesome! Go Stu!

[dashcat]

I'm a little confused by this. If he thinks of himself as a dude in women's clothing that would make him a transvestitie, wouldn't it? But the article says he has had breast implants which would lead to the conclusion that he is transsexual and thinks of himself as a woman but he doesn't. I guess I need to look up transgender.

Regardless, it's clear that his Oregon town is pretty cool.

[GetoffMylawn]

It's like having Robert Plant for mayor.

[MarkInEugene]

ROTFLMAO..­...there is a resemblanc­e...LOL...­!!!

As I said in a previous post, You Go Stu! But you have to admit GetOffMyLawn made a very astute observatio­n....No?

[PrairieDog]

So who's the First.....­?
Aw, never mind.

[PC0207]

Ahahaha!

[Mason]

No, first is on second. Who is on first.

Seriously folks, can anyone dispute that that comic routine is the greatest ever?

[CaptainStormfield]

I live in Oregon and I was just reading the comments for this article. Good comments by a lot of folks.
It should be apparent that there is a huge double standard for females even tho the mayor is transgendered. Im sort of laughing at the "doesnt look good enough to be a female" No offense to the poster. We put so much stock in appearance.

[liseworks]

Cool - !! Way to go Oregon !

Dare to be what you consider "yourself" ....live & let live !

[DrDemon]

g o r g e o u s !

[Agathena]

"I am a dude," he said. "I am a heterosexual male who appears to be a female."

So it seems to me that the mayor has just made a fashion choice.

As a woman, I think being a female takes more than long hair, high heels, make-up and jewelry.

In fact men did once dress like Mr. Rassmusen, in the court of the French Sun King for example.I think that's great. How boring are all those suits and ties. I have always wondered why men didn't wear interesting clothes. Men's fashions don't have to be boring, remember the original "Miami Vice?"

[mo19]

Stu's had breast implants. Getting breast implants is going beyond just throwing on a dress and heels, I think.

Way to go Stu!

[jj]

Stu rules.

[aicon]

very cool. Congratulations for Oregon for this very progressive decision. The day this is not even going to be news in any State or country we will have come a long way.

next Saturday national protest about NO on 8. get out and show support !!

[NKR]

Here's the "before" picture, for those curious: http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov398/guide/photo/rasmus.gif

[robchadwick]

Silverton is a little larger than Wasilla, population-wise, but it's still a small town (9400 or so).

Everyone knows Stu - he has been mayor before, has long been on the city council and is a smart, accessible leader genuinely concerned about the community he's lived in all his life. The same could be said about long-time resident and prior mayor Ken Hector.

Stu narrowly won the 2006 mayoral election after having spent less than $150 on his campaign. This election was about issues, not Stu's personal life.

Silverton is a small common sense town that works, with conservatives and liberals living and working together relatively well. Silverton has experienced a lot of growth, new subdivisions, developments, traffic lights, new sewer system, infrastructure & school issues. To many people in Silverton, this election was a referendum on how that growth has been handled, and how Silverton approaches growth going forward.

We had three candidates in Silverton & Stu simply represented the views of the majority of voters, plain and simple.

Elections aren't beauty contests - case in point, Henry Waxman. Grow up America!

[TheImpaler]

Waxman doesn’t deserve to be dragged into this. Your point was sound up to the Henry Waxman remark in my opinion.

[TheImpaler]

This takes balls!! Is that an appropriate thing to say in this case???

[MarkInEugene]

I think anyone called TheImpaler could say that....my 2 cents.