“I never entered politics to be the ‘first’ anything.”
When we previously spoke with Arizona State Rep. Lorena Austin during their inaugural campaign to represent Arizona’s 9th district in 2022 – which the legislator won by less than 2,000 votes – they were plain about why they were running: To be a good neighbor to the Mesa community. Austin’s ancestors emigrated to Arizona from Mexico more than 100 years ago.
And those neighbors needed help. “I had seen our district really struggle with … how expensive everything had become,” Austin told us when we caught up with them this month amid their re-election bid. “I wanted to make things easier.”
They had largely envisioned doing so by drafting legislation around affordable housing and the myriad other economic issues deemed critical by those neighbors (now constituents). But then came the “Pronoun Bill” – and the need to fight for kids throughout all of Arizona.
In 2023, Republican State Sen. John Kavanagh introduced a proposal that would have penalized educators and schools that referred to students using pronouns that didn’t align with the sex written on their birth certificates, without parental approval – legislation that made non-cisgender children feel “wrong” in some way, Austin said.
It made the political even more personal for Austin, who had considered themselves non-binary since they were a kid, but who hadn’t used non-gender-specific pronouns when first running for office. “I know how that [bill] would have impacted me at a younger age. But now, I have the power to use my voice.”
And use it they did, during a committee-meeting appearance in April 2023, in which Austin decided to fully own their nonbinary identity on public record – a move and message that spread beyond the confines of the capitol building and into constituents’ homes via YouTube and TikTok.
“I grew up in a community where I knew I would not be accepted. I knew I would not be supported at home or in public. I need you to hear that. This is my lived experience,” Austin said to the assembly, describing themselves as the nation’s first-ever nonbinary Chicane representative. “School was literally the one place where I knew I could at least breathe, and the reason I never came out was for fear of retribution. I was one of those students that considered suicide.”
The bill was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs. After its defeat, Austin says students and parents alike reached out in gratitude – the legislator even wound up hosting an LGBTQ pride event in the state’s capital building, which many of those relieved families attended.
“I don’t want you to be scared … that something would happen to you,” Austin told students who came to the event.
Continuing to Make a Difference
Austin is eager to stay in the legislative fray on behalf of the people – which, in this purple district, has involved fighting for far more than LGBTQ+ issues.
Austin was one of the representatives who pushed back when the state’s Supreme Court allowed for the enforcement of a Civil War-era ban on abortion – deeming its existence “obscene and outrageous” – before it was repealed. They also helped institute a multimillion-dollar boost to Arizona’s Promise Program, which assists low-income residents with state and community college tuition. And, they fought for legislation to expand available housing opportunities to in-district residents, as well as to protect workers who report on-site violations.
Still, they feel as though “I barely got my feet wet – it was a lot of seeing how everything works. I’m excited to hit the ground running” in their next term.
In particular, they aim to draft new legislation that would make residential plot sizes smaller, because “we don’t need quarter-acre lots – people need housing.” They also want to get a state IRA policy implemented, since “I know what it’s like to not have a retirement option.” They’re additionally seeking approval of the first LGBTQ license plate in the state, with proceeds benefiting state scholarship programs, along with other housing, worker-protection and climate-change mitigation efforts on their dream docket.
They are feeling optimistic about their chances next month – especially with support from gun-safety nonprofit Moms Demand Action, reproductive care provider Planned Parenthood, education nonprofit Save Our Schools Arizona and numerous other progressive organizations behind them. But they still work in one of the most competitive districts in the state – it’s essentially a 50/50 split between Democrats and Republicans.
In Arizona, every Democratic win is critical for maintaining its precarious control, Austin adds – and they appreciate the value of preserving progressive representation in all its forms, more so than ever before. “[With] all the intersectional parts of me, I really see the benefit of connecting with the community and bringing them – and all those pieces – to the capital with my voice.” ◼️
