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West Hollywood will be the first voter center in the country to open on Saturday with a transgender support area.
Through primary election day on Tuesday, March 5, all citizens in Los Angeles County can cast ballots at the Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center. However, the transgender and nonbinary communities are asked to participate in political engagement and make their voices heard.
We are breaking down barriers and making sure every Californian has equal access to the ballot box by providing a safe and affirming place for the trans community to exercise their basic right to vote, according to Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis at a news conference on Thursday.
Why then?
The United Woman’s Coalition’s creator, Queen Chela Demuir, and FLUX’s global vice president, stated in a statement to LAist that it is crucial for all Americans to have the freedom to cast their ballots in a place where they feel safe and at ease.
“It’s crucial that we speak out in a time when our transgender and intersex sisters are facing legal repercussions,” she said. “It’s crucial for us to go to the polls, go to the ballot areas, and cast our ballots against laws that want to constrict us and stop us from being who we are,” he said.
According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, more than 500 anti-trans bills have been introduced in 41 states this year alone.
Why is this place here?
Some people may not be able to update their identification data, which can make them uncomfortable and anxious as they cast their ballots, according to Demuir.
She said some people may opt to mail them in instead, which can make them feel like they are missing out on some of the enthusiasm and excitement associated with voting.
A unique Super Tuesday event will be held from lunchtime to 7 p.m. for the public at The Connie Norman Center.
Looking back
Demuir argued that the new voting center should inspire other transgender and nonbinary communities to follow suit.
She said, “I’m a strong believer in that if you can see it, then you can achieve it.” Every generation should “move the needle,” “move the indicator,” and never go back to where they were.
The late Connie Norman, known as the “AIDS Diva,” who pushed the envelope in her own right, is the center’s namesake. In the early 1990s, Norman was the first gay rights activist to host a regular talk show on an L.A. commercial station that covered LGBTQ+ issues, prejudice, and poverty.
Norman passed away in 1996 from AIDS complications. She was 47.
In order to empower the next generation, the Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center was established in her honor as a project from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, FLUX, and the United Woman’s Coalition.
Demuir envisions the facility as a place where transgender and nonbinary individuals can cast their ballots for the city, state, and the area they’re running for.
