Stu Rasmussen

{{Short description|American politician (1948–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Stu Rasmussen | image = | caption = | order = Mayor of Silverton, Oregon | term_start = January 2009 | term_end = January 2015 | predecessor = Ken Hector | successor = Rick Lewis | order1 = Silverton City Councilor | term_start1 = January 2004 | term_end1 = January 2008 | order2 = Silver Falls Library Board | term_start2 = 1997 | term_end2 = 2001 | order3 = Silverton City Councilor | term_start3 = January 1992 | term_end3 = January 1996 | order4 = Mayor of Silverton, Oregon | term_start4 = January 1988 | term_end4 = January 1992 | order5 = Silverton City Councilor | term_start5 = January 1984 | term_end5 = January 1988 | birth_date = {{birth date|1948|9|9|}} | birth_place = Silverton, Oregon, U.S. | death_date = November 17, 2021 (aged 73) | death_place = Silverton, Oregon, U.S. | constituency = | party = Democratic {{small|(since 1996)}} | other_party = Independent {{small|(before 1996)}} | spouse = | alma_mater = | signature = | footnotes = }}

'''Stu Rasmussen''' (September 9, 1948 – November 17, 2021) was an American politician. She{{Efn|Rasmussen used both "she/her" and "he/him" pronouns.<ref name=":4"/><ref name=":5"/>}} became the nation's first openly transgender mayor when she was elected as the mayor of Silverton, Oregon in November 2008.<ref>{{dead link|date=March 2023}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sturasmussen.com/realityCheck.htm |title=Reality Check |author=Stu Rasmussen |accessdate=December 19, 2011 |archive-date=April 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420133725/http://www.sturasmussen.com/realityCheck.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="ASSOCIATED_PRESS">{{cite news |title=Oregon town elects nation's first transgender mayor |url=http://www.komonews.com/news/local/34147009.html |publisher=Associated Press |date=Nov 8, 2008 |accessdate=December 19, 2011 |archive-date=January 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103035646/http://www.komonews.com/news/local/34147009.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Early life and career == Stu Rasmussen was born on September 9, 1948 in Silverton, Oregon to Nan and Albert Rasmussen.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Barreda |first=Virginia |date=November 21, 2021 |title=America's first openly transgender mayor, Silverton's Stewart 'Stu' Rasmussen dies |url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2021/11/21/silverton-oregon-first-openly-transgender-mayor-stu-rasmussen-dies-cancer/8711451002/ |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=Statesman Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> Albert was a Danish immigrant and Stu was the couple's only child.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Risen |first=Clay |date=December 3, 2021 |title=Stu Rasmussen, 73, First Openly Transgender Mayor in America, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/03/us/politics/stu-rasmussen-dead.html |access-date=2026-03-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Nan worked as a homemaker, and Albert ran a local movie theater, the Palace, as well as working in gold panning and mail delivery.<ref name=":1" />

In 1971, Rasmussen graduated from Chemeketa Community College with an associate's degree in electrical engineering.<ref name=":1" /> She then moved to Beaverton, Oregon, working as a video engineer and producer for Tektronix.<ref name=":2" /> Later, she moved back to Silverton and started a business setting up cable TV in the city during the 1970s.<ref name=":1" /> Rasmussen also contracted for different companies like Garmin, Intel, and Sonic Blue.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> She created the game Bogus Trivia and a machine called the KissMeter and Relationship Analyzer.<ref name=":0" />

In 1974 Rasmussen became the co-owner of Silverton's Palace Theatre along with Roger Paulson.<ref name=":2" /> The theater was built in 1936 and under Rasmussen's management shifted to showing first-run movies.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ourtownlive.com/ourtown/?p=2037 |publisher= Our Town Live |title= Keeping up in a digital age: Palace plans high tech upgrades |date= November 2011 |last= Drawhorn |first= Ornie |accessdate= January 25, 2014}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Abumrad |first=Jad |author-link=Jad Abumrad |last2=Scott |first2=Aaron |date=August 19, 2010 |title=New Stu - Transcript |url=https://www.radiolab.org/podcast/91695-new-stu/transcript |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=Radiolab |language=en}}</ref> In the 1990s, Rasmussen began dressing as characters from new movies to promote them. Later during Rasmussen's gender transition, her theater lost some business and was targeted for harassment by teenagers.<ref name=":3" /> However, she ran the theater with Paulson until 2020, stopping when the COVID-19 pandemic reached the region.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== Political career == Rasmussen served on Silverton's City Council in the 1980s. In 1988, she became the city's mayor, serving for two two-year terms.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> She also served on the Silver Falls Library Board.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> She described herself as a fiscal conservative and social liberal.<ref name="ASSOCIATED_PRESS" /><ref name="RightPundits">{{cite web |last=Friar |first=Cathryn |url=http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=2376 |title=Stu Rasmussen is Transgendered Mayor » Right Pundits |publisher=Rightpundits.com |date= |accessdate=2008-12-09 |archive-date=November 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113103445/http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=2376 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She belonged to the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Parsons |first=Vic |date=December 7, 2021 |title=America's first out trans mayor Stu Rasmussen, who won hearts by breaking down barriers, dies at 73 |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2021/12/07/stu-rasmussen-trans-mayor-dead/ |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=PinkNews |language=en-US}}</ref>

Rasmussen unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives in 1994 as an independent, and a seat in the Oregon State Senate in 1996 as a Democrat. She ran for the House again in 1998 as a Democrat, losing with 41% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=251159|title=Rasmussen, Stu|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=September 18, 2017}}</ref>

After publicly coming out as trans, Rasmussen won a 2004 election to a third term on the city council.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wiegand |first=Brenna |date=November 12, 2010 |title=Rasmussen remains mayor: Newcomer joins Silverton council |url=http://ourtownlive.com/ourtown/?p=1493 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250417184228/http://ourtownlive.com/ourtown/?p=1493 |archive-date=2025-04-17 |access-date=2026-03-11 |work=Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2008, she ran for mayor, narrowly defeating Ken Hector, an eight-term incumbent.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Kimberly A.C. |date=November 25, 2008 |title=Silverton rebuffs protest of transgender mayor-elect |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2008/11/silverton_rebuffs_protest_of_t.html |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=The Oregonian |language=en}}</ref> Hector and Rasmussen had already had frequent conflicts in local politics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=The Associated Press |date=November 9, 2008 |title=Small Oregon city elects transgender mayor |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27616346 |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> Once, Hector had imposed a dress code on the city council while Rasmussen served there, aiming to force Rasmussen to stop wearing feminine clothes at work.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Kimberly A.C. |date=November 7, 2008 |title=Silverton gives its vote to transgendered mayor |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/2008/11/post_9.html |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=The Oregonian |language=en}}</ref> Some locals explained that people in the town had already accepted Rasmussen's identity, having known her for years, and it did not strongly affect the race.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> However, others later recounted that they were upset by Rasmussen's identity or did not want to elect a transgender mayor.<ref name=":3" /> The race largely revolved around local policy issues, including town growth, installing two new traffic lights, and making the town's dam resilient to earthquakes. Rasmussen claimed to have spent about $2,000 on her campaign.<ref name=":7" />

With her 2008 election, Rasmussen became the first known openly trans mayor in the U.S.<ref name=":7" /> She was the subject of international news coverage for this accomplishment.<ref name=":1" /> The second openly trans mayor in the U.S. came out publicly in 2017 while in office: Jess Herbst, mayor of New Hope, Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Nico |date=November 9, 2017 |title=Transgender Texas Mayor Jess Herbst's Fight for LGBTQ Rights |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a13141369/jess-herbst-transgender-mayor-texas/ |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=Harper's BAZAAR |language=en-US}}</ref>

Several weeks after Rasmussen's victory, four members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas traveled to Silverton to protest Rasmussen's election.<ref name=":6" /> Around 200 Silverton residents decided to counterprotest across the street with opposing signs, and many protestors decided to cross-dress.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> Rasmussen later recounted that she had tried to tell people to ignore the Westboro protest rather than counterprotesting, and was overwhelmed by how supportive the town was on her behalf.<ref name=":3" />

Rasmussen's mayoral politics focused on slowing Silverton's growth and maintaining its historic charm, under the slogan "Keep Silverton Silverton". She sometimes clashed with a more development-oriented city council.<ref name=":0" /> In one case, she opposed a proposal to close the city's Main Street to traffic for the creation of a pedestrian shopping area.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Parsley |first=Aaron |date=November 23, 2021 |title=First Openly Transgender Mayor Dead at 73: Remembered as Pioneer Who Wanted to Preserve His Town |url=https://people.com/politics/stu-rasmussen-dead-at-73-americas-first-openly-transgender-mayor-remembered-as-trailblazer/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250213204714/https://people.com/politics/stu-rasmussen-dead-at-73-americas-first-openly-transgender-mayor-remembered-as-trailblazer/ |archive-date=2025-02-13 |access-date=2026-03-11 |work=People |language=en}}</ref> She remained mayor until 2014, when she lost re-election to Rick Lewis.<ref name=":0" /> During her tenure, she built a skate park and senior center for the city, as well as creating an early-warning system for the city's dam.<ref name=":1" />

== Personal life == Rasmussen began dating Victoria Sage in 1974 after meeting at Portland's 5th Avenue Cinema. Rasmussen was fixing its projectors and Sage worked as a popcorn vendor. They became partners and married in 2014.<ref name=":0" />

Rasmussen described herself as a "gender anarchist", and used both he/him and she/her pronouns.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Nation's First Out Trans Mayor, Stu Rasmussen, Dies at 73 |url=https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2021/11/23/nations-first-out-trans-mayor-stu-rasmussen-dies-73 |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=The Advocate |language=en|date=November 23, 2021|last=Ring|first=Trudy}}</ref> She sometimes went by the name Carla Fong.<ref name="latimes">{{cite news |last=Ng |first=David |date=November 29, 2012 |title=New musical about transgender mayor heading to Intiman Theatre |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-xpm-2012-nov-29-la-et-cm-new-musical-about-transgender-mayor-heading-to-intiman-theatre-20121128-story.html |access-date=April 17, 2013 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

Rasmussen began exploring her gender identity as a teenager. In 1975, she saw ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'', and was strongly influenced by its portrayal of a man in drag. She later recounted that the film the first time she had heard words like "transvestite" and "transsexual". During the 1990s, she began publicly transitioning and gradually experimented with her gender expression. She began doing her nails and would dress up as characters, often women, to advertise movie premieres. She later began wearing bras under masculine clothing on errands to test if she "could survive with breasts", and she had breast augmentation surgery at 52 years old.<ref name=":3" /> She originally thought this would end her political career, but she continued serving on the library board during her transition.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Tobias |first=Lori |date=June 5, 2018 |title='I couldn't wear this mask one more day': A county commissioner named Bill becomes Claire |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/news/erry-2018/06/9f6c72c7a5574/transgender_county_commissione.html |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=The Oregonian |language=en}}</ref> She later advised Claire Hall on her own transition while in public office, saying that it would be tough and require a lot of internal work, but externally, most people would not care beyond some resistant constituents.<ref name=":9" /> In a 2015 interview, Rasmussen reflected on her experience in Silverton:<ref name=":2" />

{{Blockquote|text=A lot of people who are transgender think, 'I can't be myself here. I have to go somewhere else, go to Portland or to San Francisco, and let the other side of me come out' [...] I transitioned in place. And the community came along with me.}}

Rasmussen died from prostate cancer on November 17, 2021, at the age of 73.<ref name=":0" /> For several weeks before, she had remained at home under hospice care.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=McCleary |first=Kelly |last2=Sutton |first2=Joe |date=November 23, 2021 |title=Stu Rasmussen, America's first openly transgender mayor, has died |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/23/us/stu-rasmussen-first-transgender-mayor-silverton-oregon-obit |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

== Legacy and recognition == Rasmussen often spoke about her experiences with LGBTQ publications and universities.<ref name=":0" />

In 2013 a musical about Rasmussen, ''Stu for Silverton'', premiered at Seattle's Intiman Theatre.<ref name="latimes" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Berson |first1=Misha |title='Stu for Silverton' sings about small-town tolerance |work=Seattle Times |date=23 July 2013 |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2021456572_stuforsilvertonxml.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218092048/http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2021456572_stuforsilvertonxml.html |archive-date=18 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Berson |first1=Misha |title=Meet the real Stu from musical 'Stu for Silverton' |work=Seattle Times |date=23 July 2013 |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2021456632_stusilvertoninterviewxml.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218092050/http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2021456632_stusilvertoninterviewxml.html |archive-date=18 December 2013}}</ref>

== Notes == <references group="lower-alpha" responsive="1"></references>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}{{dead link|date=March 2023}}

== External links == * [http://www.sturasmussen.com/ Stu Rasmussen for Mayor] *{{Oregon Encyclopedia|rasmussen_stu_1948_}} * [http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2009/10/02/segments/134088 WNYC Radiolab segment on Stu Rasmussen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329044850/http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2009/10/02/segments/134088 |date=March 29, 2010 }} * [http://www.thegirlinside.com/profiles/americas-first-crossdressing-mayor/ Interview with Stu Rasmussen About Being a Transgender Politician] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130203225736/http://www.thegirlinside.com/profiles/americas-first-crossdressing-mayor/ |date=February 3, 2013 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rasmussen, Stu}} Category:1948 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Mayors of places in Oregon Category:Transgender politicians Category:American transgender people Category:American transgender politicians Category:LGBTQ mayors of places in the United States Category:LGBTQ people from Oregon Category:People from Silverton, Oregon Category:Oregon city council members Category:Oregon Democrats Category:Oregon independents Category:Male-to-female cross-dressers Category:20th-century mayors of places in Oregon Category:21st-century mayors of places in Oregon Category:Deaths from prostate cancer in Oregon