USA Today gave a biological male a “Woman of the Year” award.
The newspaper picked a “woman” for each of the 50 states for its “Women of the Year,” as well as several national honorees, including former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Democrat State Rep. Leigh Finke, a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman, was given the “Woman of the Year” for Minnesota.
“She never planned to be a politician. Now she’s the first transgender legislator in the state’s House of Representatives, fighting to build a better future for trans youth,” USA Today wrote of Finke.
The glowing feature adds the following about Finke:
Finke has been an activist for transgender and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as Black Lives Matter, almost her whole life.
After transitioning in 2017 Finke said politics began hitting “a lot closer to home.” Witnessing national and coordinated attacks against the rights of transgender people and others in her community motivated her to be the representation Minnesota was lacking.
“It’s a dramatic understatement to say that I am beyond honored to see my name among this list of honorees,” Finke tweeted Sunday.
Finke has only been in office for two and a half months.
“As an elected, I recognize that I just got here,” Finke said. “The faith that has been put in my by my district, by the queer community, and by my colleagues at the capitol has been life-giving. I’ve only begun to fathom how much my life has changed, for the better, over the past year.”
He told USA Today, “Trans liberation is upward flowing, all liberation movements flow outwards. Everyone will benefit from it and it’s worth committing yourself to.”
Many online called out Finke and trolled the radical Leftist politician.
“Congrats, sir!” one user wrote.
“Patriarchy won,” one woman said.
“So you denied a great woman from the state of Minnesota the recognition she deserves. Congrats, I guess,” another person tweeted.
USA Today launched the program in 2022 as a “continuation of Women of the Century, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote.”
