Ann Arbor is a landmark in more ways than one: it’s home to the University of Michigan, and events like football games at the Big House and the Ann Arbor Art Fair draw more than six million visitors each year. In addition to being a major academic and cultural center, Ann Arbor has carved out a unique place in U.S. LGBTQ+ history.
Fifty years ago, University of Michigan graduate Kathy Kozachenko ran for and won seat on the Ann Arbor City Council, becoming the first openly queer person elected to political office in the history of the United States. A year earlier, in 1973, then-City Council members Jerry DeGreick and Nancy Wexler had become the first openly queer public officials to serve in office.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Ann Arbor City Councilman Travis Ladina (Democrat, 3rd District) said he was proud that Ann Arbor’s place in LGBTQ+ history is increasingly being recognized.
“Until recently, if you asked people who the first openly gay person was, I think most people would have said Harvey Milk,” Ladina says. “Kozachenko wasn’t a household name, and I still don’t think that’s the case, but I think that’s changing. Anything we can do here in Ann Arbor to spread the word about Nancy and Jerry’s story and their contributions to LGBTQ history is incredibly important.”
Radina said the city of Ann Arbor continues to make history regarding the LGBTQ+ community by commissioning a statue honoring Kozachenko, which will be unveiled later this year as part of the city’s bicentennial celebrations.
“I was really proud to work with the mayor earlier this year to commission a statue of Kathy Kozachenko at City Hall to honor her history as part of our city’s bicentennial,” Ladina said. “We commissioned a state history marker, which will be the first state history marker in Michigan history to honor LGBTQ history.”
Since Kozachenko’s historic election, LGBTQ+ visibility in politics has increased in the United States. In 2023, 1,174 openly LGBTQ+ people are holding public office nationwide, up 68% from 698 in 2019. There are currently 53 LGBTQ+ public officials serving in Michigan, including LaDina, Attorney General Dana Nessel (D), and State Rep. Jason Morgan (D), who represents Ann Arbor.
Washtenaw County Commissioner Katie Scott (Democrat, District 9), who identifies as lesbian, said in an interview with The Daily that when she ran for office in 2018, she didn’t think her identity would be an issue with Ann Arbor voters because the city has a long history with the LGBTQ+ community.
“I wanted people to know that part of my identity because I think it’s important, but it would never be held against the majority of people,” Scott said. “I’m sure there are still some people out there who are prejudiced against me, but because of the history here, I don’t think it will be held against me.”
Scott said that even though his office is not directly involved in policymaking, he has advocated for and worked toward the implementation in 2022 of a “Gender Affirmation Documents and Forms Policy” that would require county documents that ask for gender to include options for transgender and non-binary people.
“This was something I wanted to do because I didn’t want people who were coming to the county for help or information to feel left out because of paperwork,” Scott said. “So this was one of those little things I could do. I’m always thinking about what else I can do to make sure people don’t feel left out.”
Despite increased LGBTQ+ representation in public office and expanded LGBTQ+ rights and protections over the past 50 years, laws like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill of 2022 and statewide restrictions on gender-affirming medical care continue to proliferate across the United States.
John Blake, a public policy graduate student who identifies as queer, is the executive director of Out in Public, a student organization at UM that focuses on providing a space for public policy students and faculty to discuss issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. In an interview with The Daily, Blake said he feels it’s important to hear from people who are directly affected by issues like the passage of anti-transgender laws.
“I can empathize with that and push for better policy, but I can never fully understand someone else’s life experience,” Blake said. “And I think it’s always important to have those conversations, especially for people who aren’t queer. Hearing it from a transgender or gender non-conforming person is a lot more impactful than hearing it from another cisgender white guy.”
Blake also said this leads to a need for more LGBTQ+ representation in US politics.
“Seeing people who can thrive and have some power while still owning their identity proves that queer people exist, and trans people in particular exist, and trans rights matter and are human rights,” Blake said. “Seeing people who are openly and unashamedly being themselves in government shows that we belong and are a part of society just like any other group.”
As the November general election approaches, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups such as the Human Rights Campaign are stressing the importance of the election results, as Republican front-runner, former President Donald Trump, has promised to roll back many LGBTQ+ rights in a second term.
Scott said that as an LGBTQ+ person and a mother, she is extremely concerned about the outcome of the presidential election, particularly the impact of Project 2025, a set of conservative policy proposals that would be enacted if Trump is re-elected.
“From what I’ve heard about Project 2025, I think people are going to say, ‘We’re going to take children away from gay families. They have no right to raise them,'” Scott said. “I would try to counter that. Some people might think it’s crazy for me to think this way, but I don’t.”
Ladina said while he doesn’t entirely agree with President Joe Biden’s policies, he plans to encourage people in Ann Arbor to vote Democrat in November to ensure the rights of LGBTQ+ and other minorities are protected.
“The (Biden) administration is a very pro-LGBTQ+ administration,” Ladina said. “I will continue to fight from now through November, and I will do everything in my power to mobilize the people of Ann Arbor and Michigan to turn a purple state blue in November.”
Ladina said she hopes that as LGBTQ+ people become more visible in politics and society, more people will identify with and support the community.
“As LGBTQ+ people become more represented not only in politics and government but in entertainment and all sorts of other areas, I think it’s hard for most Americans to say they don’t personally know someone who is openly LGBTQ,” Ladina says. “Knowing someone and knowing their story is really important in changing hearts and minds.”
Summer Managing News Editor Eilene Koo said: email address.
