Newly Elected, WA's First Openly Transgender Legislator Ready to 'Stand on Business

When Jaelynn Scott arrives in Olympia this January, she will carry the distinction of being Washington’s first openly transgender state legislator and the first Black transgender legislator in the nation.

Elected last week to represent the 37th Legislative District, which spans diverse neighborhoods including Beacon Hill and the Central District, Scott secured her seat with more than 87% of the vote, as reported by the Washington State Standard.

While her election marks a significant historical milestone, Scott is determined to define her tenure by a broad legislative agenda rather than a single issue. She intends to prioritize tax reform, housing policy, and criminal justice reform.

“I’m going to stand firmly and stand on business for (the) LGBTQ community and trans rights, but we’re going to be talking about the agenda for working people and the poor,” she told the Washington State Standard.

A mandate for the 37th District

Scott’s entry into the legislature comes alongside a broader shift in the 37th District’s representation. She joins educator Kelabe Tewolde, who defeated the House’s longest-serving active member, Sharon Tomiko Santos, and Rep. Chipalo Street, who is transitioning to the Senate. Tewolde expressed enthusiasm for the new partnership, stating he “couldn’t be luckier to have a seatmate like Jaelynn,” according to the Washington State Standard.

The political climate in Olympia is also shifting. For the first time in decades, the Democratic caucus will hold a supermajority. Scott views this as a critical opportunity to push for substantive change, specifically regarding state budget priorities.

“We’ll have no excuses if in the end we are passing down an austerity budget with serious cuts that threaten the social safety net for communities,” she said to the Washington State Standard.

Initiative 638 faces legal challenges regarding transgender sports

The transition to office has been marked by a mix of historic success and legislative challenges. On election night, voters also approved a conservative-backed ballot measure, Initiative 638, designed to restrict transgender girls from participating in girls’ school sports. Scott, who leads the Black trans advocacy organization the Lavender Rights Project, characterizes the initiative as “legalized segregation.”

Jaelynn scott for state house legislative district — Photo: yelmonline.com

A legal challenge has already been filed to stay the enforcement of the measure. Scott, who draws personal perspective from her upbringing in the South and her familiarity with the history of the Civil Rights Movement, remains hopeful that the judicial system will intervene.

“I’m very hopeful that at least the law will find balance and give us time and room to actually have a cultural conversation about what type of Washington we want to live in,” she said.

The evolution of a trailblazer

The path to the statehouse has required managing both public scrutiny and the pressures of being a historic first. While Scott reported facing fewer direct threats than some other transgender candidates, she chose to avoid social media to maintain her focus. Following the August primary, she initially described the responsibility as a “heavy burden,” but her perspective has since shifted toward viewing the position as a unique privilege.

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“It’s not feeling heavy,” Scott explained to the Washington State Standard. “I’m feeling very well supported, and I’m excited about the opportunity of bringing the entire community’s needs forward, and the power of having Black women in office, and trans women in office, and representation in office that understands the urgency of this moment and the critical crises that our communities are in.”

Scott is one of six transgender and nonbinary legislators elected this month who will make history as their state’s firsts. As she prepares to take her oath in January, she remains focused on resisting the trend of tokenization.

“I think it will be challenging to resist from whatever, whichever, directions the tokenizing of me as a trans woman and trans elected, but I’m doggedly committed to this agenda for working people,” she said.

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