Aime Wichtendahl
Aime Wichtendahl | |
|---|---|
| Member-elect of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 80th district | |
| Assuming office January 1, 2025 | |
| Succeeding | Art Staed |
| Hiawatha City Council Member | |
| In office January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1979 Minnesota |
| Political party | Democratic Party (United States) |
Aime Wichtendahl is an American politician who was the first transgender woman to be elected to public office in Iowa. In 2024, Wichdendahl became the first transgender person elected to the Iowa General Assembly, representing House District 80 in the Cedar Rapids area.[1] She was first elected to Hiawatha's City Council in 2015,[2] a seat to which she was re-elected twice in 2019 and 2023. [3] She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Personal life
[edit]Aime was born in Minnesota in 1979. She then moved to Newhall, Iowa. She attended Kirkwood Community College and Mount Mercy College (now University) in Cedar Rapids where she graduated with a B.A. in journalism and political science in 2005. In the same year, Wichtendahl began her transition at the age of twenty-five.[4] She moved to Hiawatha, Iowa in 2007 where she still resides.
Political life
[edit]Aime Wichtendahl was nominated for Hiawatha City Council in 2015. [3] Her campaign slogan that year was "Stand with Local Businesses," as she focused on further developing local businesses in the community. Out of five candidates, Wichtendahl, Dick Olson, and Dennis Norton won the City Council election in 2015. Wichtendahl made history by becoming the first transgender woman elected to Iowa's government. She ran for a second term in 2019 and a third in 2023. She was set to hold the seat until 2027 before her run for state legislature.
On November 5th, 2024, Wichtendahl won her campaign for Iowa House District 80, becoming the first transperson elected to the Iowa legislature.[5] She is an advocate for transgender and LGBTQIA+ rights,[6][7] green energy, and small businesses.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Gerlock, Grant (November 7, 2024). "Meet Aime Wichtendahl, Iowa's first transgender state representative". Iowa Public Radio. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ "Aime Wichtendahl, Iowa's first trans elected official, reflects on coming out, her run for Hiawatha City Council and Iowa's COVID-19 failures". Little Village. 2020-06-02. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- ^ a b "City of Hiawatha Mayor and City Council". www.hiawatha-iowa.com. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- ^ Wichtendahl, Aime. "Iowa Republicans focus on attacking trans people like me". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- ^ "Aime Wichtendahl becomes Iowa's first transgender lawmaker". The Gazette. November 5, 2024.
- ^ "Bills targeting transgender Iowans are harmful, even if they don't pass". www.thegazette.com. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- ^ Wichtendahl, Aime. "Iowa Republicans focus on attacking trans people like me". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
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External links
[edit]- Iowa politician stubs
- 1980 births
- Transgender women politicians
- Women city councillors in Iowa
- Iowa city council members
- Living people
- Mount Mercy University alumni
- Democratic Party (United States) politicians
- American transgender women
- American transgender politicians
- LGBTQ people from Minnesota
- LGBTQ people from Iowa