Monday was the first day on the job for Claire Hall. The Lincoln County Commissioner has served for 14 years as Bill Hall and has now transitioned to female.

Claire Hall describes her first official day as a transgender commissioner this way:

“This has been an amazing day. It’s been an emotionally overwhelming day. But in a very good way. The amount of support and affirmation I’ve received. It’s just, hard to describe it.”

Hall even received a supportive tweet from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden after Hall was profiled in the Oregonian. Claire Hall says she believes she’s the first public official to transition while in office.

“I felt like once I had acknowledged this truth to myself that I couldn’t hide it from myself, from the community, any longer, that I really needed to be who I was.”

Hall doesn’t think being a transgender female will change her as a county commissioner. She says she tries to respect and listen to differing opinions and will continue to do so.