Laphonza Butler to Make History as First Out Black LGBTQ+ U.S. Senator Appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who passed away last week at the age of 90, was remembered for her legacy of empowering women to be spear throwers of change. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Laphonza Butler to the U.S. Senate to replace Feinstein.

Annise Parker, the president and CEO of LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, said in a statement Monday that Butler’s appointment “shatters a rainbow ceiling in becoming the first out Black LGBTQ+ U.S. senator.” Parker also noted that Butler is a “champion for building a more inclusive and representative government and will certainly be a champion for women, people of color and LGBTQ+ people.”

Butler is currently the president of EMILYs List, a Democratic group dedicated to electing women who support abortion rights. She posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday that she is “honored” to accept Newsom’s appointment, and she said “I am ready to serve.”

Newsom’s appointment of Butler is keeping a 2021 promise to appoint a Black woman to the Senate. Butler will make history when she is sworn in, and her presence and impact will be felt in countless ways.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s legacy of empowering women to be spear throwers of change will live on through Butler’s appointment. Her appointment is a testament to the progress that can be made when women are given the opportunity to lead.