Trans woman gives opening prayer at Tennessee statehouse

Church of Christ chaplain Dahron Johnson, a transgender woman, gave the opening prayer before the Tennessee House of Representatives. Invited by a Democratic state legislator, she is the first trans person to address the body from the well.

She may be the first trans person in the nation to give the opening prayer before a state legislative session.

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Over 20 Republicans who were “running late” showed up as she finished speaking. They missed her pious call for legislators to listen to constituents from different backgrounds and represent everyone with thoughtfulness and humility.

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“You may be elected as a representative into the space, but you’re elected and called here so that you can do what you can to represent as many of the voices in your district as possible. Even if somebody didn’t vote for you, they’re still a constituent of yours,” they said.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R) said the GOP caucus meeting had run late, but several other Republicans were in the chamber to hear Johnson’s prayer.

Johnson said she wasn’t offended by the slight. Instead, she said she wanted to model the behavior she’s just implored legislators to perform.

“If they’ll give me some grace, I’ll give them some grace. I know representative lives are busy. However, I do hope that in the busyness of their lives, they take an opportunity to go back and hear maybe a slightly different word, a slightly different perspective than folks often hear in this space,” Johnson said.