Metro Councilmember Olivia Hill made history Monday night as the first openly transgender Tennessean to be sworn into office.
The Hermitage Hotel’s ballroom was packed as Hill took to the stage with her supporters. Among them was Pastor Dawn Bennett, with The Table Nashville, who began with a prayer.
“She has made history here today, God. You too made history 57 years ago when you created her. And you have made history in her life every day since,” Bennett said.
Nashville’s new mayor, Freddie O’Connell, also praised Hill’s historic win. And for the first time since she came out as trans, a member of Hill’s family came out to support her.
“I paid a heavy price with my transition, and I’ve lost most of my family, my friends, my career, and so many people that stand beside me. And there’s very few people that are on my side right now that were on my side three years ago,” Hill said. “But my cousin Missy, who’s almost like my sister — we grew up in the same house till we were age 10 years old — flew here from Texas to be with us here tonight.”
In the crowd, Athena Labonte said that seeing Hill take office means a lot to her.
“It inspired me because ever since moving down here from Maine, it’s been kind of scary being trans and not always feeling like I can bring my authentic self to places, including sometimes to work,” she said.
In her speech, Hill said that she didn’t run just as a trans woman, but as someone who has a right to sit at the table. Still, the historic win is not on her.
“I have been approached by so many moms and so many dads, teachers, aunts and uncles that have come to me and thanked me for running because for now, for the very first time in the state of Tennessee, the trans community can look on TV and say, ‘I can be what I see,’” Hill said. “Representation means everything.”
