Lemondrop

In a year of historic elections, the town of Silverton, Ore. marked its own milestone by electing the nation's first transgender person as its mayor.

With his curly red locks and three-inch heels, Stu Rasmussen unseated the incumbent mayor to become the first transgender mayor of an American city. But don't worry about 60-year-old Rasmussen's experience -- he served two terms as Silverton mayor in the 1990s, back when he was sporting a suit and a more modest cup size.

Rasmussen lived as a closeted cross-dresser for many years, but it wasn't until he discovered the Northwest Gender Alliance that he decided that the people of Oregon might be ready for a trans public official. Despite having his breasts augmented in 2000, Rasmussen is a decidedly "non-op" transsexual -- he chooses to live as a woman, but has no plans to undergo complete sexual reassignment surgery. He identifies as a heterosexual (as well as a social liberal/fiscal conservative) and lives with his girlfriend of almost 35 years.

Rasmussen believes that the election proves that the good old-fashioned strength of his platform (like keeping the town small) can trump the not-so-old-fashioned way he chooses dress.

Although the win is clearly a progressive step into the future, can we get him a cardigan? You're the mayor, Stu, not an American Apparel model.