Jewish woman is White House’s first transgender staff member
The White House has hired its first openly transgender member of staff – a woman who served on the Jewish student union in her home town of Minneapolis, writes James Graham.
Raffi Freedman-Gurspan will join the personnel department. Her mother Marion said: “I sent a son abroad for his junior year of college – by the time I visited Norway in May, I was visiting a daughter.”
Mara Keisling, formerly of the National Centre for Transgender Equality, has said: “A transgender person was inevitably going to work in the White House. It is seen as a great step towards greater transgender equality… That the first transgender appointee is a transgender woman of colour is itself significant.”
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
