Saturday, October 27, 2018

Say Hello To Judge Tracey Nadzieja

Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Tracey Nadzieja sits in the stark white courtroom at the 4th Avenue Jail where she presides over initial appearances. Nadzieja is the first known transgender judge in Arizona. PHOTO BY KATIE CAMPBELL/ARIZONA CAPITOL TIMES
Here's some wonderful news coming out of Arizona.

On October 12 Tracey Nadzieja was sworn in as a commissioner in the Maricopa County Superior Court.   That made her the first trans judge in the state of Arizona and only the third ever in the United States.

In case you're wondering who the other two are, they are Phyllis Frye here in Houston and Vicky Kolakowski in California.

Mr. Nadzieja
“That’s the weird thing about doing this. Yes, I’m the first, and that’s a story,” Nadzieja said in an interview. “But on the other hand, what I had basically hoped going into this job is that people won’t see that part of the story. That the whole transgender part of the story will ultimately become an absolute non-issue. That people will just see me as somebody who is competent, fair, dedicated and just like anybody else.”

Still, Nadzieja becoming a judge is a tremendous point of pride to the Arizona trans community.   She is also ascending to a judicial bench at a time when the trans community is under assault from the Trump misadministration. 

Congratulations to Judge Nadzieja!


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