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2020鈥檚 KEY EDUCATION VOTES:聽See our full coverage of聽the 46 races that could reshape America鈥檚 schools聽following Election聽Day 鈥� and get the latest updates on state policies and students鈥� challenges during the pandemic by signing up for聽麻豆精品 Newsletter.听

For Stephanie Byers, running for office was never the plan. But when, a mere five months after her retirement from a 29-year career teaching high school band, friends convinced her to enter politics, she understood the implications.

鈥淭his gives me a chance to use my voice where I can make a concrete difference for people,鈥� Byers, 57, told the .

Byers made history Tuesday night as Kansas鈥檚 first transgender legislator, and the nation鈥檚 first transgender lawmaker of Indigenous ancestry. Byers to win her Democratic-leaning district, according to local outlets.

Currently, there are only four transgender state legislators nationwide. Come January, Byers will join their ranks, along with Sarah McBride who for Delaware state Senate, and Taylor Small who bested her opponent to in the Vermont state House. As a member of the Chickasaw Nation, Byers鈥檚 win makes her both the first transgender person of Native ancestry and the first transgender person of color to win a state legislative seat in the U.S.

Though Byers hoped voters would support her on account of her whole person, not just her gender identity, she also does not shy away from who she is.

鈥淎ll politics are kind of identity politics,鈥� Byers explained in a . 鈥淚t鈥檚 about how much [candidates] can show of who they are and how they operate so that people go, 鈥榊es. That鈥檚 somebody that I can hire to represent me.鈥欌��

After years going as 鈥淢r. Byers鈥� in band class, she came out as a transgender woman in 2014. Her colleagues and students were overwhelmingly supportive of her transition, reported the Wichita Eagle. And in 2018, she was named by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network after having been nominated by her school鈥檚 principal.

It was only after she left the classroom that Byers began to think more about the politics of education, like a perennial lack of money for schools. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really have much time outside of my class to be able to stand up and say, 鈥楬ey, this isn鈥檛 right,鈥欌�� said Byers. 鈥淎nd so when I retired, that鈥檚 one of the things that kind of percolated around in my head.鈥�

Now headed to Topeka, Byers will advocate for adequate school funding and better working conditions for teachers, including higher pay, according to her . 鈥淔irst-rate teachers are essential to a beneficial education. Kansas kids deserve the best education possible,鈥� she writes.

On Tuesday evening, Byers monitored election results with her wife of five years, Lori Haas, around a fire pit in their backyard. 麻豆精品 shows Byers taking a phone call after nightfall, presumably from campaign staff. When the first-time candidate realizes she has won, Byers鈥� eyes grow watery and she reflects emotionally on the race and what brought her here.听

鈥淭hat was one of the reasons for running, was to make the world change.鈥�

2020鈥檚 KEY EDUCATION VOTES:聽See our full coverage of聽the 46 races that could reshape America鈥檚 schools聽following Election聽Day 鈥� and get the latest updates on state policies and students鈥� challenges during the pandemic by signing up for聽麻豆精品 Newsletter.听

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