“I often am asked, ‘why on earth would you want to run for office in such dangerous political times?’ My response is simple: if we back down now when we are afraid, we’ve already lost.” Kali Scales is running for State Representative of District 5, which encompasses Oak Park, Royal Oak Township and Northwest Detroit. If she wins, she will be the first transgender person elected to an office in Michigan. The question that naturally comes to mind for many, including Scales, is this: “will they vote for me because I am trans, or will they vote for me because they support the issues I stand by?” Her campaign focuses on “Back to Basics” – AEIOU: autonomy, education, inclusivity, opportunities and unions. “A good and honest life is built on these,” she asserts. 

The nationally syndicated radio host, writer, performer and storyteller has been in the public eye since she was 16. “I came out of the closet publicly, I did my whole transition publicly, and I’ve seen some of the best and worst that humanity has to offer,” she notes. “It’s time to make the world know we are not going to stand for what is happening now. This will help combat the feelings of hopelessness and loneliness a lot of people are dealing with. Fear thrives in loneliness; many feel the decision already has been made, but that day is not here yet! There still is hope. Get involved! Stay in the fight. We need you, and we will see the other side of this,” she says with confidence.

Listen to this inspiring Smart Sex, Smart Love podcast where I ask Kali Scales some tough questions about the current political climate, the new pressures and divisiveness the LGBTQIA community is encountering, and how she will handle the personal attacks that already are coming her way since she has entered the political race.

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