Stacie Laughton
THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — [Update - 2. Newly elected transgender legislator to resign. See below. ] Voters in New Hampshire elected Stacie Laughton to represent them in the state House of Representative making her the first openly transgender to hold state level office. Laughton, a Democrat, reportedly defeated her Republican challengers easily.
Laughton: “I believe that at this point, the LGBT community will hopefully be inspired. My hope is that now maybe we’ll see more people in the community running, maybe for alderman. Maybe in the next election, we’ll have a senator. . . . We are people, too, who still have talents and ideas. And I hope that people won’t be afraid to get into politics, or any other position, for that matter. I want the community to feel inspired.”
University of New Hampshire’s political science professor Marla Brettschneider: “It’s a really historic moment for Nashua and New Hampshire and the nation to start to really reimagine what citizenship and leadership can look like.”
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UPDATE — Nov. 24, 2012 [It is not my intention to judge anyone here, however, this story is being covered in the local media and I would be doing my readers a disservice if I didn't keep everyone informed.)
From the Nashua Telegraph:
"Newly elected state representative Stacie Laughton, a Gate City Democrat, has been getting national attention since her win earlier this month, which made her the first openly transgender elected official in the state.
But this weekend, that attention turned negative after a story in the Laconia Daily Sun revealed that Laughton served four months in jail in 2008 on felony charges of conspiracy to commit credit card fraud."
Laughton's Facebook response: “I am sorry for the people that can’t let my past go. I have made mistakes just like everyone else. No one is perfect. I don’t want to talk about my past nor do I care about my past. I live for today and my future. If you want to talk about me please by all means do so. At least your leaving someone else alone. That is all I have to say about it.”
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UPDATE-2, Nov. 27, 2012. Newly elected NH state legislator to resign!
From The Huffington Post: "New Hampshire's history-making transgender state representative has announced she will resign after news of her criminal record surfaced. As Nashua Patch is reporting, State Representative-Elect Stacie Laughton decided to step down after it was revealed that she had served four months in Belknap County House of Corrections following a 2008 credit card fraud conviction. Laughton said she will formally resign her seat via a letter to be sent to the Secretary of State's office . . ."
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Stacie Laughton (Photo: Metro Weekly)
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Filed under: Legislative, Media, Positive PR, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, legislature, Marla Brettschneider, new hampshire, Stacie Laughton
Good for her. How many people have made mistakes that are potentially embarrassing? What was in the past, is in the past.
I am confident I would be a brilliant politician. I have never run because of prior criminal charges… misdemeanors. I just know that being Trans* in Utah, some muck-raking wankers would dig them up and use them to try to embarrass my entire community. All my hassles with the law were before I transitioned. They were cries for attention; cries for acceptance. Since deciding to transition, I am 20 years without issue.. precisely because I now walk in my authentic skin, and with integrity.
I’m glad Ms Laughton had the courage to move beyond past indiscretions and forward into a life of authenticity.
Exactly! Who hasn’t written a bad check, shoplifted, whatever to get by? esp. with transition. Then of course; being trans, ‘they’ will look for any dirt to dig up. I hope Ms. Laughton survives this. Chin up, Sister!!
I think that it’s politics as usual. It sort of doesn’t even matter that she’s trans. It’s what “they” do! Her statement is heartfelt and makes sense. And, dear Lizette, I haven’t shoplifted or written a bad check, but I suppose prostitution and burglary fall into the same sort of “past.” eh, what?
Totally agree that politics is traditionally a ‘dirty’ business-”they all do it.” However; being Trans, Ms. Laughton -or any of us would be under a finer microscope. I was equating the offense of credit card fraud w/shoplifting, bad checks. Now, prostitution, or armed robbery- murder? So, if two people ran for office; one a murderer, one w/unpaid traffic tickets- they should both be disqualified for a criminal past? I am only saying the nature of the offense and relavance to the office should be considered. Rehabilitation means that someone trying to better themselves should be given a chance-such as Ms. Laughton.
[...] Laughton made the news shortly after being the first trans person elected to the statehouse. But made bigger news when it was learned she has a previous felony conviction: http://lexiecannes.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/updated-2-ttrans-woman-legislator-resigns-trans-woman-el… [...]
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