Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski has appointed Brenda Churchill, a Bakersfield select board member and unsuccessful candidate for state representative in 2022, to the Vermont Commission on Women. Churchill will become the first transgender woman on the independent, nonpartisan state commission.
“Brenda has long been dedicated to the work of protecting the rights of marginalized Vermonters and creating more equitable communities across our state,” Krowinski said. “She has been a leader in the LGBTQ+ community and has been wonderful in ensuring that everyone has a voice at the table. I look forward to seeing Brenda continue her advocacy on the Vermont Commission on Women, and I know that she will bring the same passion to that work that she does every single challenge she takes on.”
“I look forward to the near future when transgender women are no longer 'first' in any organization,” Churchill said. “Being the first at anything opens doors for those who follow. I am grateful to be the first transgender woman commissioner to open that door. It is up to all of us to hold them open.
The VCW, governed by 16 commissioners, has as its mission advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls in Vermont.