After watching Loving last night the message of one person (or in this case on couple) can make a difference. We often think we need an entire movement to make a difference (and in many cases it is helpful) but the fact that this couples case in the supreme court changed the lives and laws of the United States is inspiring. Despite the odds they were able return to Virginia. Virginia has come a long way. Danica Roem was the first openly transgender person to be elected to Virginia Legislature. This is exciting on a national level because the only other openly transgender person to be elected to state legislature in the US was in 2012 when Stacie Laughton won a seat in the New Hampshire House. She did not take office however because she never disclosed her felony conviction and it cause a public uproar. Althea Garrison came out during her term in the Massachusetts house after being elected in 1992 but lost every election after coming out. (source: New York Times) The fact that a transgender democrat was able to win a seat in Virginia gives me hope that we will eventually be able to move forward as a country despite the current state of the executive branch.