Olivia Hill: Tennessee elects first trans person to office
In a history-making move, Tennessee elects Olivia Hill, its first transgender person, to office as part of a female majority on the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County. Olivia Hill is one of five women elected to at-large seats on the Metro Council. Four of these women won their seats in a runoff election, while the other had enough votes to be elected through the general election.
Olivia Hill is the first trans person to ever be elected in Tennesee, but also the first out trans person to ever appear on a ballot there.
“I want to say that I am elated,” Hill told The Tennessean.
“For every trans kid in the state of Tennessee that has felt discomfort or that they didn’t belong … . We are valid,” she continued. “We are who we say we are. And we are going to move forward.”
Tennessee was among the several states in the United States of America to introduce anti-trans bills in the last twelve months, including bills that targeted drag shows, and gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Olivia Hill’s election to office provides a ray of hope for the state’s LGBTQ contingent, especially its transgender residents.
In addition to Hill’s election serving as a win for the LGBTQ community, her appointment is also a win for women everywhere. The Metropolitan Council of Nashville now has a record number of females sitting in office. 22 of their seats belong to women, with 17 of those being elected from districts and five at large. This means that women hold the majority of seats in the 40-member council.
Olivia Hill served in the United States Navy from 1986 – 1995 during which time she served in combat during Operation Desert Storm. Upon leaving the Navy, Hill then worked at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where she spent 26 years working in the university’s power plant. She retired in 2021 as Senior Supervisor.
