Delaware woman will be first transgender convention speaker

Wilmington’s Sarah McBride will address Democratic delegates in Philadelphia on Thursday night as the first out transgender person to speak at a national convention event.

“I’m incredibly honored to be able to speak,” McBride said on Monday as she anticipated taking the convention stage at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

The transgender Wilmington woman found out she’d be talking to thousands of delegates and millions of viewers around the country just last week. “I’ve been sort of in shock since,” she said on the convention floor Monday. “I hope I do my community proud, both my home state of Delaware and the transgender community.”

“We couldn’t be prouder to have a Delawarean taking the podium on the most important night of the convention,” said Lisa Goodman, president of Equality Delaware and a superdelegate. “I’ve known Sarah since she was young. She’s a fellow Equality Delaware board member, she’s an amazing speaker and she is going to show America that transgender people are no different than you and I.”

McBride will focus her speech on the humanity of transgender people and their need for protection from discrimination. “We have a lot of unfinished work for the LGBTQ community and Hillary Clinton is the only candidate in this race who will and can deliver on that change that we still so desperately need.”

McBride will be the second Delawarean to address the Democratic convention this week. Vice President Biden will speak Wednesday night.