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

[Enid]

She did it with out a $150,000. wardrobe and 20 grand of makeup.
So there Shara.

[ramonaramone]

Nice typo. It was fun to see my name posted in a comment.

[funkulous]

"I am a heterosexual male who appears to be a female."

Another politician who appears to be something they're not.

[elcojonu]

Whatever works, life is transitory.

[judyc]

Wow--that might overshadow the black president.

[Kware]

Ehhh. I don't know what to think of this. I am pretty liberal, but this is kind of weird.

[NWBrunette]

You might try meeting a couple Tgirls. I'll bet there's plenty in your community. They're pretty much regular folks once you get to know them. Like anything else - fear's a natural response to the unknown.

[HatingTheGame]

The guy looks like Gene Wilder. Gilda would have been proud.

[grizhead63]

Or Richard Simmons with orange hair...

[BannedInBoston]

N-o-o-o-o-­o-o-o-o-o-­o-o-o-o...­.

[JHCowboy]

The opportunities that we never dreamed of are becoming increasingly available for people who were once treated as outcasts. This is amazing!

[cucumber]

What I've never understood about this phenomenon is: what's the deal with needing to wear dresses and heels and have a breast job and such? I don't understand needing the "trappings" of the opposite gender. If you're a female, you can express what is socially thought of as "male" qualities, and vice versa. What's the overriding need to physically put on the trappings of the other gender? I don't feel hampered by my gender as far as appearance goes (sexist discrimination is another thing), and I'm not sure why anyone should in the US. You can be a "feminine" male without wearing a dress, no? Or a "masculine" female without needing to draw on a mustache and stuff your pants, no? I understand being gay - I don't believe that's a choice but a biology. But this I don't quite understand.

Not trying to flame anyone, but I'd be interested in an explanatio­n...

[Poboy]

Let me see if I can.

If you can explain why a woman would spend hours in a day trying to appear feminine and beautiful, then you will be able to explain why a man who thinks of himself as a woman would do so.

[cucumber]

Well, he doesn't think of himself as a woman, hence the comment, "I'm a dude."

And, for females to primp gives them more social acceptance. It does the opposite in this case for the mayor.

I shouldn't have posted looking for a non-snide response.

[robotfog]

For Transsexuals, changing the body is a necessity because the individual entirely identifies as the opposite sex. There is more than one type of transsexual. These people often have the impression that parts of their bodies are missing or wrong. The only way to deal with this feeling is to physically attend to the parts that are wrong. For many, life is entirely unbearable until transition is completed.

For Crossdressers, such as the Mayor, the need is to dress the part of the opposite sex. Crossdressers tend to be happiest when free to express themselves as whatever gender they are feeling like. It is unusual for crossdressers to desire surgery.

For Non-Binary Gender Variants, people who identify as both genders at the same time, neither gender, or as both genders but one at a time. Non Binary (binary is man or woman) people can shift in how they feel. Non Binary gender variant people have a harder time in society because they are among the most unaccepted. Sometimes just mixing clothing is good enough.

It is very difficult to explain the motivation behind some of these concepts. In the case of Non Binary gender variants, we are still having a big discussion amongst ourselves. Why *are* we this way? How can we be ourselves and not be ostracized? Ages ago we were accepted in most societies, but things changed. All we want is to have lives where we can be open and do our jobs like everyone else.

[cucumber]

That's interesting. I haven't heard of the term "non binary gender variants" before. I can understand the emotional drive to that more easily than the need to be transgende­r/crossdre­sser. I think it might even be a natural state, in a non-hierarchical society, to move beyond a lot of external gender differences, and be "non binary." rather than the hyper socially-c­onstructed *external* gender differences of the crossdressers (i.e. with the crossdressers, it seems to really just be about the clothes and such, the external trappings, which was is the point I don't really understand).

If the guy was good, I totally would have voted for him for mayor, just thinking about the phenonmenon is all...

[SBrooksB]

People are complicated, Cucumber, so I doubt there's a pat answer to your question. When all is said and done, Mr. Rasmussen is the only person who needs to understand Mr. Rasmussen. It's takes a lot of courage to be different in a world that encourages conformity. He deserves our admiration.

[elcojonu]

Do you have to be gay first before becoming Transgender ?

[NWBrunette]

No. Totally different things.

[bigtroubletrin]

read the article. he isnt gay...he's a tranny. google it dude.

[BannedInBoston]

You will be amazed, lol....

[WoodyCPM]

Transgendered people are fairly exclusively straight. There are some exceptions of course. Transgendered people have a medical condition. and a social condition in their being ostracized by society. It's the being ostracized by society that they share with gay people. Gay people do not have a medical condition. They're not cross wired or feeling like they don't identify with their gender or any of the kinds of things that transgendered people grapple with. Gay people accept them more easily than straights do, which is why they're identified along with gays as a sexual minority. Other than that, transgendered is about being straight, not gay.

[Kiba]

It's not really a medical condition, implying that there's something wrong with the person. Gender identity is simply a matter of neurological structure. A person feels male or female depending on how their genetic expression created the structure and organization of their brain. A male may be born with a more feminized brain, or a female with a more masculinized one. There's nothing wrong or bad about it, it's just part of natural genetic variation.

[NWBrunette]

Absolutely awesome! The country is continually moving in a positive direction, becoming more accepting, loving, tolerant and inclusive. Yes we can!

[livingston1]

Sorry, but something's wrong with this picture.

[NWBrunette]

Only the people judging it.

[SBrooksB]

What's wrong is the narrow-mindedness of most people.

[LeSamourai]

This is why I love my state.

The beauty of what America is supposed to be about combined with the magnificence of it's surroundings.

...and BTW, for an example of the surrounding areas of that very town which just elected Stu as America's First Transgender Mayor, please take a look at the pictures of Silver Falls State Park:

http://www.oregon.com/hiking/silver_falls.cfm

[elcojonu]

Shim should consider a bigger town south of the border in California.

[CanuckforObama]

Variety is the spice of life.

[elcojonu]

We're not talking about food.

[Enid]

BACK OFF

[NWBrunette]

Exactly. Why live in a box if you don't want? It's the the land of the free. His cross-dressing certainly isn't hurting anyone. And he's doing more good - and has been doing more good - in his town than most of the rest of the residents.

[robotfog]

Plus, when people are free to be who they are, they are happier and much more productive.

[elcojonu]

Very Cute / Handsome.

[elcojonu]

The Sarah Palin of Oregon; next stop, the Governor's Mansion.

[KarateKid]

So, this is where the hippies went......­.