Arienne Childrey Becomes Ohio’s First Out Transgender City Council Member
ST. MARYS, OHIO — Arienne Childrey has been appointed to the St. Marys City Council, making history as Ohio’s first out transgender city council member. The Auglaize County Democratic Party Central Committee voted on Jan. 6 to appoint Childrey to fill the Fourth Ward seat left vacant by Councilwoman Robin Willoughby, who stepped down at the beginning of the year due to health concerns.
“I’m honored to serve the people of the 4th Ward and the City of St. Marys,” Childrey told The Buckeye Flame. “Representation matters deeply to our community, and I hope this appointment inspires others to see that the Democratic Party is a welcoming home for all voices and diverse communities.”
Childrey, who previously ran for the Ohio House of Representatives in 2024 against Republican Angie King, is expected to serve on the council until the end of Willoughby’s term on Dec. 31, 2025. She plans to run for re-election to retain her seat beyond that date.
Childrey’s candidacy in the 2024 state representative race faced challenges under an Ohio law requiring candidates to disclose any legal name changes from the past five years. The Mercer County Board of Elections allowed her to remain on the ballot, but another transgender candidate, Vanessa Joy, was disqualified under the same law by the Stark County Board of Elections.
During her campaign for state office, Childrey emphasized the importance of representation, stating that she entered the race because she felt the LGBTQ+ community was not being represented. “I went into it because I felt like the LGBT community wasn’t being represented. And as I talked to people, I found there were a lot of people who didn’t think they were being represented,” she told WDTN News.
Sean Meloy, vice president of political programs for the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, praised Childrey’s appointment. “LGBTQ+ Victory Fund congratulates Arienne Childrey on her historic appointment to the St. Marys City Council, trailblazing a path of representation for transgender women in city government in Ohio,” Meloy said in a statement to The Buckeye Flame. “Arienne is a fighter and will be an important voice for her constituents in championing civic pride, jobs and economic development for her city and region.”
Childrey joins Dion Manley, a member of the Gahanna-Jefferson City School District board, as the only out transgender elected officials in Ohio. Meloy noted the significance of her appointment amid ongoing political challenges for transgender rights. “At a time when LGBTQ+ and specifically transgender rights are under attack, including direct attacks on her, the news of Arienne’s appointment is a bright light that demonstrates that trans people are here and ready to serve their communities,” he said.
Despite the historic nature of her appointment, Childrey remains focused on local governance rather than party politics. “This is about fixing roads. This is about trash pickup. This is about our public safety programs with fire and with our police departments. And these go beyond a party label,” she told WDTN News.
Childrey will be sworn in after the Ohio Secretary of State certifies her appointment.
Additional news coverage on this, from other local networks, can be found at the following sources:
The Buckeye Flame, "Rural Ohioan becomes the state’s first out transgender city councilperson," Available online.
Mercer County Outlook, "First Transgender Council Member Named To Serve In St. Marys," Available online.
Yahoo News/WDTN 2 News, "Ohio’s 1st transgender councilperson to be sworn in Monday," Available online.
