Rural Ohioan becomes the state’s first out trans city councilperson

A small Ohio town in Auglaize County, near Indiana, will soon have its first out transgender council member–and she is thought to be the first trans councilperson ever in the entire state.

Arienne Childrey will join the city council of St. Marys, taking the seat of Councilwoman Robin Willoughby, who stepped down at the end of last year due to health concerns. Childrey was voted in by the Auglaize County Democratic Party Central Committee on Monday, Jan. 6, to fill the seat. Her swearing in will take place after the Ohio secretary of state certifies the appointment.

“I’m honored to serve the people of the 4th Ward and the City of St. Marys,” Childrey told The Buckeye Flame. “Representation matters deeply to our community, and I hope this appointment inspires others to see that the Democratic Party is a welcoming home for all voices and diverse communities. 

Although historical records are limited in scope, Childrey is also thought to be the first out transgender person in a city council in the entire state of Ohio.

This is not the first time Childrey has been considered for public office. She previously ran against Angie King (R-Celina) for Ohio state representative, a race that King won in November.

In that campaign, Childrey survived a challenge to her candidacy based on a decades-old law that forces candidates to list any former legal names in the past five years, even though election paperwork did not provide a space to list those names. This law was used repeatedly in 2024 to target trans candidates in Ohio, as it effectively forces them to out themselves. While the Mercer County Board of Elections deemed Childrey eligible to run, the Stark County Board of Elections disqualified candidate Vanessa Joy under the same law. 

In May 2024, King introduced HB 471 (later SB 71) to expand who can challenge the eligibility of candidates, including eligibility based on failure to list prior names. Despite a last-minute push to pass the legislation, the bill ultimately died during 2024’s lame duck session.

Representation matters

According to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund—the national nonprofit that works to elect pro-equality, pro-choice candidates who are out members of the LGBTQ+ community to public office—Childrey is the first and currently only out trans person on a city council in Ohio.

“LGBTQ+ Victory Fund congratulates Arienne Childrey on her historic appointment to the St. Marys City Council, trailblazing a path of representation for transgender women in city government in Ohio,” Sean Meloy, Victory Fund’s VP of political programs said to The Buckeye Flame via statement. “Arienne is a fighter and will be an important voice for her constituents in championing civic pride, jobs and economic development for her city and region.”

Dion Manley is the only other out trans official in the state. In 2022, he was sworn in as the newest board member at Gahanna-Jefferson City School District.

“At a time when LGBTQ+ and specifically transgender rights are under attack, including direct attacks on her, the news of Arienne’s appointment is a bright light that demonstrates that trans people are here and ready to serve their communities,” Meloy said. “We look forward to her service and are confident she will continue to be a change-maker for her city and all Ohioans.”

Childrey notes this importance of representation and how it ultimately supports the entire community.

“Good governance is about looking out for the best interests of all citizens, not just those who fit someone else’s narrow mold,” she said. 🔥

IGNITE ACTION

• LGBTQ+ Ohioans interested in running for office can find more information from the Victory Fund here.