Geraldine Roman , who identifies as transgender, made history this week when she was elected to the House of Representatives in the Philippines.
The 49-year-old will become her country's first openly trans person to hold public office, securing the congressional seat in Bataan previously held by her mother, Herminia Roman.
Roman, who transitioned more than two decades ago, will set a precedent in a country where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people only enjoy limited rights. Still, she'll now join an elite group of trans pioneers who've held various elected offices around the world, including Venezuela's Tamara Adrián, Poland's Anna Grodzka and Luisa Revilla Urcia in Peru.
Take a look at 12 history-making transgender politicians from around the world.
(Note: The list below uses "transgender" as an umbrella term to include many different transgender expressions and lives but it should be noted that different countries, cultures and communities may use other more specific terms to describe those experiences.)
Sinclaire served from 2009 to 2014, when she was not re-elected.
“I am going to promote equality and I will say no to discrimination,” she told The Washington Blade. “We want everyone to have equal access, to succeed and to achieve their goals. When there is no discrimination, there is pacification. Infrastructure and modernity is important, but promoting values and showing concern for the people matters even more.”
