Trans Woman Running for Houston City Council

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

August 05 2011 4:25 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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Jenifer Pool, a leader in Houston's construction industry and LGBT community, is hoping to become the city's first transgender city council member.

Pool is running for a seat that will be soon be vacated by lesbian Sue Lovell, who is termed out. Before Lovell, Annise Parker -- now Houston's lesbian mayor -- occupied the seat.

Pool worked in the construction industry in the 1990s but was fired when she transitioned. After that, she started consulting business that assisted companies with construction management and permit issues. "She has served as a member of the Buildings and Standards and the Police Advisory commissions and was appointed by Parker to a special blue ribbon task force on buildings and standards," the Dallas Voice reports. "And like Lovell and Parker, Pool has been president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus."

Pool has also been active in transgender organizations as well as AIDS and cancer charities, and she volunteered with the Houston Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. In addition, Pool hosts a radio show called Queer Voices, but she'll have to take a leave of absence because of FCC rules concerning her political ambitions.

The Victory Fund, which helps elect LGBT people to office, has not yet endorsed Pool in the November election, possibly because another LGBT person is running for the city council seat.