Taylor Small (born March 26, 1994) is an American politician. Small is a member of the Vermont House of Representatives and is the first openly transgender legislator elected in Vermont and the 5th elected in the United States.[1]
Taylor Small | |
|---|---|
 Small in 2020 | |
| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from the Chittenden-21 district | |
| Assumed office January 2023 Serving with Daisy Berbeco | |
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from the Chittenden 6-7 district | |
| In office January 6, 2021 – January 4, 2023 Serving with Hal Colston | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 26, 1994 Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| Political party | |
| Alma mater | University of Vermont (BS) |
| Website | Campaign website |
Early life
Small was born in Portland, Maine to Canadian parents.[2] Small lived in Johnson, Vermont, and then Western Massachusetts as a child.[3] After Small’s parents divorced, Small returned to Vermont and attended Colchester High School and Burlington Technical Center. Small then went on to graduate from the University of Vermont in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Sexuality and Gender Identity Studies.[4][5]
Career
Small was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in the 2020 general election after the incumbent Diana Gonzalez retired and is the state's first openly transgender legislator,[6] and the fifth in the nation.[1][7] Small ran on both the Democratic ticket and Vermont Progressive Party ticket and won with 41% of the vote.[3][8]
Small is the education manager (and former director of the Health and Wellness program) at Pride Center of Vermont and has worked with the Vermont Department of Health. Prior to that, Small worked in mental health at Howard Center and Northwestern Counseling and Support Services and supported homeless and runaway youth with Spectrum Youth and Family Services. Through a drag persona, Nikki Champagne, along with colleague Emoji Nightmare, Small has promoted local libraries and youth literacy and hosted fundraisers to help support Vermont’s non-profit organizations.[9][10][4]
Small was named a 2022 Politician of Year by One Young World, receiving the award in Manchester, England in September 2022 alongside four other young politicians from around the world.[11]
Personal life
Small lives in Winooski with her partner, Carsen, and their dogs, Theobroma and Charlie.[4]
Electoral history
2020
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Taylor Small | 1,003 | 44.9 | |
| Democratic | Hal Colston (incumbent) | 912 | 40.8 | |
| Democratic | Jordan Matte | 316 | 14.1 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 4 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 2,235 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Hal Colston (incumbent) | 2,551 | 43.5 | |
| Progressive/Democratic | Taylor Small | 2,423 | 41.3 | |
| Independent | James Ehlers | 867 | 14.8 | |
| Write-in | Write-ins | 28 | 0.5 | |
| Total votes | 5,869 | 100.0 | ||
2022
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | Taylor Small (incumbent) | 1,011 | 53.0 | |
| Democratic | Daisy Berbeco | 883 | 46.3 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 13 | 0.7 | |
| Total votes | 1,907 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daisy Berbeco | 1,813 | 43.6 | |
| Progressive/Democratic | Taylor Small (incumbent) | 1,735 | 41.7 | |
| Independent | Jordan Matte | 575 | 13.8 | |
| Write-in | Write-ins | 38 | 0.9 | |
| Total votes | 4,161 | 100.0 | ||
See also
References
- ^ a b Sprayregan, Molly (November 3, 2020). "Taylor Small will be Vermont's first out transgender legislator". Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- ^ "Representative Taylor Small". The LGBTQ+ Bar. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ a b Hallenbeck, Brent (November 4, 2020). "Taylor Small wins House seat to become first openly transgender member of Vermont Legislature". Burlington Free Press. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ a b c "About". Taylor Small for State Rep. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- ^ Elletson, Grace (August 9, 2020). "Winooski candidate Taylor Small looks to become state's first openly trans lawmaker". VT Digger. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- ^ "Taylor Small speaks about her accomplishments during her first legislative session". June 8, 2021 – via YouTube.com.
- ^ Riedel, Samantha (September 4, 2020). "Vermont's First Trans State Representative Is Fighting For Her Community". Them. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- ^ "Vermont gets state's 1st openly transgender legislator". Associated Press. November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ "Meet Our Team". Pride Center of VT. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ Wakefield, Lily (November 4, 2020). "Taylor Small, tireless LGBT+ champion and sickening drag queen, makes history as her state's first trans lawmaker". PinkNews. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ Thurston, Jack (September 12, 2022). "Vt. Lawmaker Honored at Event Attended by Prince Harry & Meghan Markle". NECN. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ "Elections Results Archive". Vermont Secretary of State.
- ^ "2022 August Primary Election Detailed Results". Vermont Secretary of State.
- ^ "2022 General Election Results". Vermont Secretary of State.
External links
 | This article about a Vermont politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |