Introducing Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, The First Openly Transgender Official To

The White House announced Raffi Freedman-Gurspan’s appointment on Tuesday.

Raffi Freedman-Gurspan was previously a Policy Advisor for the Racial and Economic Justice Initiative at the National Center for Transgender Equality, was the LGBT Liaison for the City of Somerville, Massachusetts, and worked for the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, among several other positions. “Her commitment to bettering the lives of transgender Americans, particularly transgender people of colour and those in poverty, reflects the values of this administration”.

Maria Keisling, NCTE executive director and Freedman-Gurspan’s former employer, expressed her elation at the news in a statement on the advocacy organisation’s website.

As far as what Freedman-Gurspan will actually do, the White Houses’ website noted that she will be directing presidential personnel staffers who work to recruit qualified candidates to serve the president in departments and agencies across the government.

“Her work included promotion on issues, for example, enhancing the conditions for transgender detainees, tending to one-sided policing against transgender groups, restricting the utilization of confinement for undocumented transgender migrants, and discovering answers for location savagery against transgender ladies of shading”, she said.

From Obama notching up a U.S. presidential first by using the word transgender in this year’s State of the Union address, to the coming out of Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner, transgender rights are garnering worldwide attention.

“We’re celebrating because this is an important milestone for the transgender community, but we’re also thrilled that Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, an incredibly smart, talented, and committed professional, will now be working for the American people”, said Aisha Moodie-Mills, president and chief executive of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute. Both spoke out against conversion therapy in a White House video in April.