California's First Elected Drag Queen Is Now Running for Congress

Maebe A. Girl became the first drag queen elected to public office in California (and possibly the entirety of the U.S.) earlier this year when she joined the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council. Now, she’s aiming for Congress.

Girl announced her upcoming run on Friday with a video explaining that while she has no major complaints with the incumbent representative, Adam Schiff, she feels that being someone who identifies as a gender-fluid trans person, she is more well-equipped to invest in the plights of the local community.

“Too many of our representatives are wealthy, middle-aged white men, and that doesn’t accurately represent our diverse population,” she told Q Voice News. “In a political climate where so many people’s civil liberties are at risk, I want to be on the front lines fighting for them.”

During her short time on the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council so far, Girl has formed the Silver Lake LGBTQIA Advocates Committee and worked with the rest of the council to try to find compassionate ways to address the area’s homelessness issues. She also campaigned and performs all her council duties in drag.

“The reason I decided to run in drag is because I knew that I would have a more powerful voice running in drag,” she said. “I feel like people can’t say anything to me because I’m already going against traditional ideas of what gender is supposed to be and how it’s supposed to be expressed.”

And Girl plans to run for Congress as her drag queen persona as well, saying that constituents need more diverse representation than just old men in suits.

But she’s running on more than just appearances. Her website sets out a platform of prioritizing protecting minorities, immigrants, women, and the environment, and lays out her stances on a number of issues including affordable education, healthcare reform, and the possibility of war with Iran.

“I’ve always had an interest in running for office,” she said. “After doing drag for a few years and realizing how strong this community is, and how strong the LGBTQIA community is, I felt like they would really have my back.”