German MP Comes Out as Trans Woman, Makes History

On Monday, German MP Tessa Ganserer returned to the Bavarian parliament and held her first press conference since coming out as transgender. This makes her the first out trans lawmaker to hold office in Germany.

AFP reports that Ganserer won election as a member of the Green Party three months ago.

Ganserer revealed earlier this month on social media that she was transitioning. "I'm a woman with every fiber of my body," she wrote on Facebook in German. "And now Mrs. Member."

On Twitter, she wrote in German: "Life as Markus Ganserer was not bad. But I am Tessa Ganserer and I will finally live like this."

The Monday press conference marked the first public appearance for Ganserer since expressing her gender identity.

There, Ganserer told the press she began exploring her gender identity 10 years ago when she first wore a dress and looked at herself in the mirror in a new way.

She has two sons, ages 11 and 6, to whom she has already come out to.

"Children don't have prejudices. If you present the world to them in a friendly way, they will accept it as it is," Ganserer said.

While just a few weeks ago Ganserer told the media she may be gender fluid, she said she now fully identifies as female.

Ganserer came out just a few weeks after German lawmakers passed a new law recognizing a third gender option on birth certificates, AFP notes, and as LGBTQ rights reach a new level of public acceptance in the nation. The nation legally recognized same-sex unions for the first time in 2017.

Ilise Aigner, president of the regional parliament, applauded Ganserer.

"Mrs. Ganserer has taken a very brave and highly personal decision," Aigner said.

It will still take time before Germany officially recognizes Ganserer's gender identity. That requires a change on birth certificates and two medical professionals to confirm an individual is transgender. But Aigner said the legislative body will immediately respect Ganserer's gender identity.