LGBT History Month: Kim Coco Iwamoto

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Born May 26, 1968 in Kauai, Hawaii, Kim Coco Iwamoto is a fourth-generation descendant of a Japanese emigrant.  She has an A.A.S. in Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology, a B.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University, and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Currently she resides in Honolulu, Hawaii where she is a a licensed therapeutic foster parent and a 2nd term member of the Hawaii Board of Education.  When she was first elected in 2006, she was the highest ranking transgender elected official in the United States and the first transgender official to win statewide office.

She publicly opposed California's Proposition 8, comparing it to her mother's internment during WWII saying, “The country has acknowledged that as a mistake, to just go with populous fear to oppress a specific group. I think we’re going to look back at this kind of oppression as a mistake.”

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Also this month:

~ October is also National Bullying Prevention Month.

~ October 10th was Unity Day; wear orange to show your support and remind others about the importance of bullying prevention.

~ October 11th was National Coming Out Day when we celebrate coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or as an ally. See the Human Rights Campaign website for resources on coming out.

~ October 19th is Spirit Day; wear purple on this day to support LGBT youth & stand up against bullying.