The next city council race in Aurora, Colorado will be an interesting and thoughtful one, as Pam Bennett will be the city’s first openly transgender candidate. (The Denver Channel):

Pam Bennett was born Bruce Bennett in the 1950s. Now, she wants to be a city councilwoman. “There’s no reason to run away from it. There’s no reason to promote it. It’s part of me,” Bennett said. Bennett said she always knew she was transgendered, even though she has two kids and is still married to a woman. “It’s not part of my campaign or my issues.”

Bennett, an Air Force veteran, began transitioning in 2003, and hormone replacement therapy in 2003 as part of the process of changing from a man to a woman, though she has not had sex-reassignment surgery. Bennett has two sons who are now in their 20s and also live in Colorado; one is an Aurora police officer.

She is still friends with her former wife (they are separated, but not divorced), who is supportive of Pam’s candidacy. Bennett is interested in governing and is ready for all of the challenges ahead.

She said she’ll run a clean, non-partisan campaign focused on smart growth for Aurora, drawing on experience from the oil and gas industry, as well as the aerospace field.

“I am beyond ready,” Bennett said. “This is not like any other race. This is going to be a tough race, an expensive race, a hard race. There’s going to be a lot going on and I want to be in it.”

…Bennett supports redevelopment initiatives in hopes of bringing new life to existing neighborhoods without expanding the city’s borders, the Sentinel reported.

She also supports bringing jobs as well as cultural arts and events to Aurora. She said she supports the city’s voter-mandated ratio of two police officers for every 1,000 residents.

There’s also an excellent in-depth article by J.C. O’Connell in the local paper, the Aurora Sentinel/Daily Sun, Pam I Am, that is worth the click.

Visit Pam’s campaign site, Pam Bennett for Aurora City Council.