Out for votes: Battle over rights inspires more U.S. transgender candidates(Reuters) - Virginia Democrat Danica Roem has been called a man by conservative opponents attacking her views on LGBT rights as she campaigns to become the United States’ only transgender state legislator.  Roem does not shy away from her gender identity. In one campaign ad, she applies makeup at a bathroom mirror and takes hormone pills. But rather than focus on the politics of running as a transgender woman, she prefers to discuss traffic gridlock and other issues in the Nov. 7 election for the Virginia House of Delegates. “Transgender people are just as qualified to say, ‘Hey, I can’t stand being stuck in traffic right now. I have some ideas to fix this,’” said Roem, a 33-year-old journalist. “We can be leaders on transportation. We can be leaders on economic development, and yeah, we can be leaders on civil rights too.” Her candidacy comes as more transgender men and women are vying for voices in the political arena where they have been targeted by conservative lawmakers seeking to limit their rights, most notably by restricting bathroom access.      U.S. elections this year could double the country’s number of transgender officeholders, currently at six, according to the Victory Fund, which works to elect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates. The group has endorsed eight transgender candidates up for election this fall. A transgender man and woman are running for city council in Minneapolis. A mayoral race in Midvale, Utah, and school board contest in Erie, Pennsylvania, are among the other contests with transgender candidates. Nearly 30 races in the 2017-18 election cycle already have a transgender candidate, up from 13 in 2015-16, according to Logan Casey, a research associate at Harvard University tracking them. The community’s electoral push comes as Republican President Donald Trump’s administration has reversed guidance to public schools on allowing transgender students’ bathroom choice and wants to ban transgender people from military service. Other minority groups also have battled discrimination through gains at the polls. But transgender candidates face unique challenges in making their case to voters who often have never met another transgender person, at least not knowingly.     “It’s sort of a double-pronged task that a lot of these candidates have,” Casey said. “They have to run for office and persuade people to vote for them and also educate them about what it means to be a transgender person.” Phillipe Cunningham, a 30-year-old black transgender man running for city council in Minneapolis, once thought he would have no chance at professional success because people would be put off by his gender identity. Now he marvels at the support he is receiving on the campaign trail.  “People see me and they are like, ‘You’re cool and you know what you are talking about, and you really love this community,’” he said. In Galesburg, Illinois, a city of 30,000, 23-year-old Chris King lost an alderman’s race earlier this year in which she emphasized business development. The card she handed to voters also highlighted the diversity she would bring as a transgender woman of color. She braced for the topic to become an issue at public forums, but it never came up.  “I am not 100 percent sure if that is good or bad,” said King, a part-time student and pet stylist, who knows it was discussed privately. “It would open the door for some conversations to happen that need to happen to educate people.” In Virginia, Roem seeks to unseat a 25-year Republican incumbent of the House of Delegates who filed a bill to limit bathroom access for transgender people on the same day Roem launched her candidacy. Delegate Bob Marshall and the state Republican Party use male pronouns to refer to Roem. The party recently sent mailers to voters in her district that took issue with her support for school policies supporting transgender youth, suggesting she wanted to push an agenda on students as young as kindergarten. “The mailers absolutely do not attack Danica’s gender identity,” John Findlay, executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia, said in a statement.  Marshall did not reply to requests for comment. Roem said Republicans are resorting to bullying after years of failing to address voters’ quality-of-life concerns.  “This is all they have left: transphobic B.S.,” she said in an email on Monday. Roem dreams of the milestone moment that would follow an historic win with her introduction in the legislature as “the gentlewoman from Manassas.” She would smile at two transgender youth she imagines would be watching from the chamber gallery. “That fundamentally changes the conversation,” she said. “And then, let’s get onto business. Then I pursue governing.” politicsNews
out votes battle rights inspires transgender candidates reuters virginia democrat anica room called man conservative opponents attacking views lgbt rights campaigns become united states transgender state legislator room shy away gender identity in one campaign ad applies makeup bathroom mirror takes hormone pills but rather focus politics running transgender woman prefers discuss traffic gridlock issues election virginia house delegates transgender people qualified say hey i stand stuck traffic right i ideas fix said room journalist we leaders transportation we leaders economic development yeah leaders civil rights her candidacy comes transgender men women vying voices political arena targeted conservative lawmakers seeking limit rights notably restricting bathroom access elections year could double country number transgender officeholders currently six according victory fund works elect lesbian gay bisexual transgender candidates the group endorsed eight transgender candidates election fall a transgender man woman running city council minneapolis a mayoral race middle utah school board contest erie pennsylvania among contests transgender candidates nearly races election cycle already transgender candidate according logan casey research associate harvard university tracking the community electoral push comes republican president donald trump administration reversed guidance public schools allowing transgender students bathroom choice wants ban transgender people military service other minority groups also battled discrimination gains polls but transgender candidates face unique challenges making case voters often never met another transgender person least knowingly it sort task lot candidates casey said they run office persuade people vote also educate means transgender phillips cunningham black transgender man running city council minneapolis thought would chance professional success people would put gender identity now marvels support receiving campaign trail people see like you cool know talking really love community said in galesburg illinois city chris king lost alderman race earlier year emphasized business development the card handed voters also highlighted diversity would bring transgender woman color she braced topic become issue public forums never came i percent sure good bad said king student pet stylist knows discussed privately it would open door conversations happen need happen educate in virginia room seeks unset republican incumbent house delegates filed bill limit bathroom access transgender people day room launched candidacy delegate bob marshall state republican party use male pronouns refer room the party recently sent miles voters district took issue support school policies supporting transgender youth suggesting wanted push agenda students young kindergarten the miles absolutely attack anica gender identity john finally executive director republican party virginia said statement marshall reply requests comment room said republicans resorting bullying years failing address voters concerns this left transphobic said email monday room dreams milestone moment would follow historic win introduction legislature gentleman she would smile two transgender youth imagines would watching chamber gallery that fundamentally changes conversation said and let get onto business then i pursue politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Out for votes: Battle over rights inspires more U.S. transgender candidates(Reuters) - Virginia Democrat Danica Roem has been called a man by conservative opponents attacking her views on LGBT rights as she campaigns to become the United States’ only transgender state legislator.  Roem does not shy away from her gender identity. In one campaign ad, she applies makeup at a bathroom mirror and takes hormone pills. But rather than focus on the politics of running as a transgender woman, she prefers to discuss traffic gridlock and other issues in the Nov. 7 election for the Virginia House of Delegates. “Transgender people are just as qualified to say, ‘Hey, I can’t stand being stuck in traffic right now. I have some ideas to fix this,’” said Roem, a 33-year-old journalist. “We can be leaders on transportation. We can be leaders on economic development, and yeah, we can be leaders on civil rights too.” Her candidacy comes as more transgender men and women are vying for voices in the political arena where they have been targeted by conservative lawmakers seeking to limit their rights, most notably by restricting bathroom access.      U.S. elections this year could double the country’s number of transgender officeholders, currently at six, according to the Victory Fund, which works to elect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates. The group has endorsed eight transgender candidates up for election this fall. A transgender man and woman are running for city council in Minneapolis. A mayoral race in Midvale, Utah, and school board contest in Erie, Pennsylvania, are among the other contests with transgender candidates. Nearly 30 races in the 2017-18 election cycle already have a transgender candidate, up from 13 in 2015-16, according to Logan Casey, a research associate at Harvard University tracking them. The community’s electoral push comes as Republican President Donald Trump’s administration has reversed guidance to public schools on allowing transgender students’ bathroom choice and wants to ban transgender people from military service. Other minority groups also have battled discrimination through gains at the polls. But transgender candidates face unique challenges in making their case to voters who often have never met another transgender person, at least not knowingly.     “It’s sort of a double-pronged task that a lot of these candidates have,” Casey said. “They have to run for office and persuade people to vote for them and also educate them about what it means to be a transgender person.” Phillipe Cunningham, a 30-year-old black transgender man running for city council in Minneapolis, once thought he would have no chance at professional success because people would be put off by his gender identity. Now he marvels at the support he is receiving on the campaign trail.  “People see me and they are like, ‘You’re cool and you know what you are talking about, and you really love this community,’” he said. In Galesburg, Illinois, a city of 30,000, 23-year-old Chris King lost an alderman’s race earlier this year in which she emphasized business development. The card she handed to voters also highlighted the diversity she would bring as a transgender woman of color. She braced for the topic to become an issue at public forums, but it never came up.  “I am not 100 percent sure if that is good or bad,” said King, a part-time student and pet stylist, who knows it was discussed privately. “It would open the door for some conversations to happen that need to happen to educate people.” In Virginia, Roem seeks to unseat a 25-year Republican incumbent of the House of Delegates who filed a bill to limit bathroom access for transgender people on the same day Roem launched her candidacy. Delegate Bob Marshall and the state Republican Party use male pronouns to refer to Roem. The party recently sent mailers to voters in her district that took issue with her support for school policies supporting transgender youth, suggesting she wanted to push an agenda on students as young as kindergarten. “The mailers absolutely do not attack Danica’s gender identity,” John Findlay, executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia, said in a statement.  Marshall did not reply to requests for comment. Roem said Republicans are resorting to bullying after years of failing to address voters’ quality-of-life concerns.  “This is all they have left: transphobic B.S.,” she said in an email on Monday. Roem dreams of the milestone moment that would follow an historic win with her introduction in the legislature as “the gentlewoman from Manassas.” She would smile at two transgender youth she imagines would be watching from the chamber gallery. “That fundamentally changes the conversation,” she said. “And then, let’s get onto business. Then I pursue governing.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: out votes battle rights inspires transgender candidates reuters virginia democrat anica room called man conservative opponents attacking views lgbt rights campaigns become united states transgender state legislator room shy away gender identity in one campaign ad applies makeup bathroom mirror takes hormone pills but rather focus politics running transgender woman prefers discuss traffic gridlock issues election virginia house delegates transgender people qualified say hey i stand stuck traffic right i ideas fix said room journalist we leaders transportation we leaders economic development yeah leaders civil rights her candidacy comes transgender men women vying voices political arena targeted conservative lawmakers seeking limit rights notably restricting bathroom access elections year could double country number transgender officeholders currently six according victory fund works elect lesbian gay bisexual transgender candidates the group endorsed eight transgender candidates election fall a transgender man woman running city council minneapolis a mayoral race middle utah school board contest erie pennsylvania among contests transgender candidates nearly races election cycle already transgender candidate according logan casey research associate harvard university tracking the community electoral push comes republican president donald trump administration reversed guidance public schools allowing transgender students bathroom choice wants ban transgender people military service other minority groups also battled discrimination gains polls but transgender candidates face unique challenges making case voters often never met another transgender person least knowingly it sort task lot candidates casey said they run office persuade people vote also educate means transgender phillips cunningham black transgender man running city council minneapolis thought would chance professional success people would put gender identity now marvels support receiving campaign trail people see like you cool know talking really love community said in galesburg illinois city chris king lost alderman race earlier year emphasized business development the card handed voters also highlighted diversity would bring transgender woman color she braced topic become issue public forums never came i percent sure good bad said king student pet stylist knows discussed privately it would open door conversations happen need happen educate in virginia room seeks unset republican incumbent house delegates filed bill limit bathroom access transgender people day room launched candidacy delegate bob marshall state republican party use male pronouns refer room the party recently sent miles voters district took issue support school policies supporting transgender youth suggesting wanted push agenda students young kindergarten the miles absolutely attack anica gender identity john finally executive director republican party virginia said statement marshall reply requests comment room said republicans resorting bullying years failing address voters concerns this left transphobic said email monday room dreams milestone moment would follow historic win introduction legislature gentleman she would smile two transgender youth imagines would watching chamber gallery that fundamentally changes conversation said and let get onto business then i pursue politicsnews