Misty K. Snow and Misty Plowright have some things in common — in addition to their first names. They both won Democratic primaries Tuesday night and they’re both transgender.
Snow is running for a Utah U.S. Senate seat and Plowright for a U.S. House seat in Colorado. By beating out their adversaries Tuesday, the women achieved a major milestone.
The Washington Post reports Snow and Plowright are the first openly transgender candidates in U.S. political history to take home a win in a major party's congressional primary.
But both candidates say their gender identity isn't a part of their platform. Back in May, Snow told The Salt Lake Tribune: "I'm not running because I'm transgender. I just happen to be transgender."
Plowright told a local newspaper she considers herself the "anti-politician."
The victories come at a tough time for transgender rights in America. So-called "bathroom bills" in states like North Carolina require people to use public facilities matching their gender at birth. It's a practice that many — including the president — call discriminatory.
SEE MORE: "9 States Sue Obama Administration Over Transgender Bathroom Policy"
Despite their monumental wins, the Mistys still face tough opponents come November. The Post notes that neither candidate has a good shot at actually serving in Congress come January.
But supporters of the transgender community seem optimistic. An official with the Human Rights Campaign told NBC, "It is only a matter of time, as progress and visibility continue to expand, that we’ll see transgender people in Congress."
This video includes clips from KTVX and images from Getty Images. Music provided courtesy of APM Music.
