Marie Cau made history by becoming the first openly transgender person to be elected as mayor in France. Cau is now the mayor of the village of Trilloy-lez-Marchiennes, a town of just 550 people.
Cau’s background was in engineering and she ran on a platform of environmental sustainability and boosting the local economy. On top of being mayor, she will continue running her IT consulting business on the side.
The election of Marie Cau also provides a new dynamic to the idea of rural vs. city values. If a small town of just 550 people can vote for a transgender person, it surely can happen anywhere. When speaking to the French news agency AFP, Cau stated, “They didn’t vote for me or against me because I’m transgender; they voted for a program and for values.”
France’s minister for gender equality, Marlène Schiappa, tweeted her support for Cau, declaring this a triumphant moment for the trans community.
La visibilité trans, et donc la lutte contre la transphobie, passe aussi par l'exercice de responsabilités politiques ou publiques.
Félicitations à Marie Cau ! #démocratie #LGBT+ https://t.co/1QEap6redr— 🇫🇷 MarleneSchiappa (@MarleneSchiappa) May 24, 2020
France’s National Transgender Association, a French organization for the LGBTQ community, also celebrated, stating that this day meant that French voters were showing support on “the value of individuals, regardless of their gender identity.”
Congrats to Marie Cau and to the village of Trilloy-les-Marchiennes!
