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Mott would be Kansas’ first transgender House member

By Associated Press - | Nov 2, 2015

? If she’s selected by a group of Topeka Democrats to replace a retiring member of the state House of Representatives, Stephanie Mott would be the first transgender member of the Kansas Legislature.

Mott, 57, began living as a woman full time in 2007 and has since become one of the state’s leading advocates for transgender rights. She also is a member of Topeka’s Human Relations Commission, a city advisory board aimed at eliminating prejudice, and a community liaison for transgender inmates at the Shawnee County Jail, The Wichita Eagle reported.

She wants to be the replacement for Democratic Rep. Harold Lane of Topeka, who announced his retirement in October.

“This would be an incredible opportunity for people to be able to see a person who happens to be transgender who has all the same values that they have, who believes in God, who believes in faith, who believes in fairness,” she said.

Mott faces competition for the House post from Carolyn Wims-Campbell, the first African-American to serve on the Kansas Board of Education. Wims-Campbell, an executive member of the Topeka chapter of the NAACP, previously served on the Topeka school board.

Wims-Campbell has worked as a secretary at the Legislature since 1992, serving on the staff of Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, since 2004.

“I’m a product of segregation,” said Wims-Campbell, who attended an all-black elementary school in Topeka before the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Whoever is selected to replace Lane will serve through the 2016 session and then face re-election that fall.

Mott said she would push for Medicaid expansion and making it easier for people to vote. Wims-Campbell said she would focus on improving public education and the juvenile justice system.

The six people making up the Democratic committee in the 58th District will vote on Lane’s replacement on Nov. 14.