by Rex Wockner
The new mayor of Cambridge, England, is a male-to-female transsexual, and so is her partner.
Liberal Democrat Jenny Bailey, 45, was appointed by fellow City Council members May 24. Her partner, Jennifer Liddle, 49, became mayoress.
"People can take me as a role model if they want," Bailey told The Times. "But for transgender people, all we want is to disappear and become normal, so I don't want to let it define me.
"When you go through transgender experience and come through the other side, you are just happy to get on with normal life, normal problems, so this is a wonderful opportunity."
"I'm proud that I managed to get through something which was quite difficult and managed to come out of it a better person," Bailey said in another interview, with the Telegraph.
"I certainly do not want it to eclipse being mayor. … So many more things define me than being transgender – a medical condition I had 15 years ago and which I have now recovered from."
Bailey has two children, ages 18 and 20, from when she was married as a man. Both she and her partner had sex-change surgery in their 30s.
The Telegraph said the couple chose to go public about their transsexuality after a local reporter expressed interest in writing about it.
Bailey's ex-wife and close friend, who did not want to be named, told the Telegraph: "I am incredibly proud of Jenny and the achievements she has made over the last few years. She is a totally selfless person who wants to help others and make a positive impact on our community."
