The 2022 elections at the local, state, and federal levels present a crossroads for the entire American nation. The elections will determine the direction Americans will move over the course of the decade: forward, nowhere, or backward.

We at Jejune Magazine are committed to Progressive candidates who will help move the country in a positive, forward direction, ensuring that Americans’ rights are not trampled and that Americans of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and socioeconomic statuses will have more power for self-determination. This year, we are profiling our favorite Progressive candidates who are running to represent their communities at the state and federal levels, in an effort to make their constituents’ voices heard when it comes to creating laws that serve the people, instead of working against them.

This week we are profiling Taylor Small (she/her/hers). Taylor is a millennial member of the Vermont House of Representatives and is the first openly transgender legislator in Vermont, running on the Vermont Progressive Party ticket. She is also the Education Manager at Pride Center of Vermont and has worked in mental health with homeless and runaway youth at Spectrum Youth and Family Services. She promotes youth literacy and local libraries, among other education issues.

Where are you based?
Winooski, Vermont.

What is your position/what position are you running for?
Vermont State Representative.

Why did you choose this seat?
Two years ago, I was asked by my State Representative, who was stepping down from her seat, to run for office. Over these past two years I have really enjoyed my work representing the people of Winooski and want to continue doing so.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
My main priority coming into this work has been health equity, in particular moving Vermont closer to a single payer health care system. Health care should be a human right, not a privilege afforded to some. I want to expand our Medicaid program coverage and make sure that all health care plans include vision, dental, and mental health care.

What inspired you to run?
My State Representative, Diana Gonzalez, who was Vermont's first queer woman of color to serve in the state legislature, recognized my work in the community and my leadership on LGBTQ+ health equity statewide and encouraged me to run. She said that my voice was needed in our state legislature. I decided to run within 24 hours, put my full campaign together in 48 hours, and have loved this position ever since.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district, state, and country?
The change I want to bring to my district is equal access to opportunity. I have the privilege of representing the most diverse and most densely populated city in northern New England, and my responsibility to them is to make sure our children are well educated, our small businesses are thriving, our housing is safe and affordable, and all residents are able to vote.

How long have you been in office? What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
I have been in office for two years now and have passed two bills as lead sponsor. The first was to ban the 'LGBTQ+ Panic Defense' from Vermont's judicial system, and the second simplified the process for Vermonters' to amend their gender identity on their birth certificate and added a non-binary, X, gender marker option. The first bill received unanimous support from the House, Senate, and our Republican Governor.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
I think the most important issue we are facing right now is equal access to health care, including reproductive health care such as abortions. By having a for profit health care system, we are limiting access to what should be considered a human right and viewing illness as a profit. In Vermont, we have the distinct opportunity this election year to enshrine reproductive liberty into our state constitution via ballot measure, Proposition 5. If passed, Vermont would become the first state to have reproductive liberty and autonomy explicitly protected in our state constitution.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
America is divided, but I would consider Vermont tense instead of divided. It has long been a practice in our state to engage in the difficult conversations and try to relate across difference. It is the polarization; black and white; right and wrong thinking and viewpoints that are pitting us against one another. We need to embrace that our lives are complex and can never be siloed into such limited thinking; we need to expand and learn beyond our comfort zones. I do not mean this to be flippant about the real violence and terrorism that exists within communities across this nation; that is a much more difficult situation that I wish I had the answer to.

How would you foresee your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
As Vermont's first out transgender legislator, and one of eight in the nation, it became clear from day one how important it is to have our state leadership reflective of the people we serve. By simply having a seat at the table, my perspective and the perspective of the many communities that I am a part of were brought into the conversation and changed the views of many legislators that I served with. For most of the people in the statehouse, I was the first transgender person that they have ever met, and because of the relationships we were able to form I saw a clear difference in how they approached issues impacting transgender people. It was really heartwarming.

What is your motto in life?
Relationships and connection are our antidote to hate.

Where can we find out more about you?

On social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram): @TaylorSmallVT or /TaylorSmallVT, or on my website: https://taylorsmallvt.com!

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2022 - Taylor Small, Vermont House of Representatives - Chittenden-6-7