Stephanie Byers

Stephanie Byers (born February 5, 1963) is an American politician and educator. She was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives from the 86th district in the 2020 general election making her the first openly transgender person to serve in the Kansas Legislature and the first transgender Native American person elected to office in America; she is a member of the Chickasaw Nation.

Stephanie Byers
Member of the
Kansas House of Representatives
from the 86th district
Assumed office
January 11, 2021
Preceded byJim Ward
Personal details
Born
Stephen Wesley Byers

(1963-02-05) February 5, 1963
Norman, Oklahoma
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Lori Haas[1]
EducationOklahoma Christian University (BM)
Kansas State University (MM)

Early life

Stephen Wesley Byers, member of the Chickasaw Nation, was born February 5, 1963, in Norman, Oklahoma. Byers came out as transgender in 2014.[1][2] Byers graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with a Bachelor of Music Education in 1986 and later Kansas State University with a Master of Music in 2015.[3]

Career
Stephanie Byers's campaign logo

Byers taught at Wichita North High School for 29 years before retiring in 2019.[4] In 2018, she was given the National Educator of the Year award by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.[5][3][6] From 2018 to 2020, she served on the board of Wichita pride and during her tenure she served as the Communications Director and Board Secretary.[2] She gave a speech in front of the Supreme Court of the United States on behalf of GLSEN while the court was hearing arguments Bostock v. Clayton County.[7]

Kansas House of Representatives

In 2019, Byers announced that she would seek the Democratic nomination for the Kansas House of Representatives from the 86th district to succeed Jim Ward, who was seeking election to the Kansas Senate.[8] She won the Democratic nomination and was elected in the general election becoming the first transgender person elected to the Kansas legislature and the first transgender Native American elected to office.[6][9][10] During the campaign she raised $31,578.15 while her Republican opponent, Cyndi Howerton, raised $9,360.05.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Kansas High School Students Defend Transgender Band Director Against Hate Group". May 6, 2018. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  2. "Stephanie Byers – Kansas House of Representatives, 86th District". Kansas Equality Coalition. July 30, 2020. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  3. "About Stephanie Byers". Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  4. Eckels, Carla (May 21, 2019). "Retiring After 28 Years, Transgender North High Teacher Looks Forward To Next Chapter". KMUW. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020.
  5. "Transgender Wichita teacher wins national education award". April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  6. "Kansas could elect its first openly transgender lawmaker this fall". The New York Times. August 5, 2020. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  7. "Kansas makes history, elects retired Wichita teacher as its first transgender legislator". The Wichita Eagle. November 3, 2020. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020.
  8. "Retired teacher wants to be first transgender lawmaker in Kansas House". KAKE (TV). December 4, 2019. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  9. "Transgender and non-binary candidates elected in several US 'firsts'". Largs and Millport Weekly News.
  10. "Stephanie Byers Wins to Become Kansas's 1st Trans Elected Official". Advocate. November 4, 2020. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020.
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