BLAKE DESJARLAIS
Canada’s first Two-Spirit MP
Blake Desjarlais was born in (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) and raised in the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement. He made history in 2021 when he was the first openly Two-Spirit person to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Edmonton Griesbach, and is currently the only Indigenous MP representing the province of Alberta. Desjarlais currently serves as vice chair of the NDP Caucus, is co-chair of the first-ever parliamentary Canadian Pride Caucus/Caucus Canadien de la Fierté and is an outspoken advocate for 2SLGBTQI+ rights in Canada.
STEPHEN MORGAN
Labour MP
Morgan was elected to the local council in 2016 and became group leader the same year. Then, as the first-ever Labour MP for Portsmouth South in 2017, he trebled his majority in 2019. He’s campaigned on banning ‘conversion therapy’, improving mental health support and tackling rising LGBTQ+ hate crime. He is now Shadow Schools Minister, making Labour’s pitch on education a key priority ahead of the next general election. As a patron of LGBT+ Labour, colleagues have almost forgiven him for turning up to last year’s London Pride march in a suit!
TAYLOR SMALL
State representative, Vermont House of Representatives
Taylor Small was elected in November 2020 and, at 28, serves as Vermont’s first out transgender legislator and one of 10 in the US. In her first year in office, Representative Small was able to ban the use of the ‘LGBTQ+ Panic Defence’ in Vermont with unanimous support from the House, Senate and Republican Governor. She received global recognition by One Young World as Politician of the Year last year and now serves as the Assistant House Progressive Caucus Leader. She also delivers cultural humility training for healthcare and human service providers in Vermont, training more than 2,000 people.
JENNY GILRUTH
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish National Party member Jenny Gilruth has served as the Minister for Transport since January 2022 and is a vocal supporter of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which was voted in by the Scottish Parliament in December to make it easier for trans people to legally change gender. Proud to have voted for legislation to improve the lives of trans people in Scotland, she tweeted “#TransRightsAreHumanRights” last December. Unfortunately, in January the legislation was blocked by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government. Gilruth is married to Kezia Dugdale, former leader of the Scottish Labour Party.
MAURA HEALEY
Governor of Massachusetts
Maura Healey assumed office as the 73rd governor of Massachusetts in January this
