While we're on the subject of identities - from another list... >THE ASSOCIATED PRESS November 2, 1996 > By SCOTT LINDLAW > Associated Press Writer > GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) -- Elizabeth Michael's answering machine >announces that she's ``out trying to overthrow the government.'' > In fact, by running for Congress, she's trying to become part of the >government. But should she win her long-shot race, the House would never be >quite the same. > Michael was born a hermaphrodite and says she had ``sexual reassignment >surgery'' in 1984. She is now a lesbian of black, American Indian and white >descent. She is a Messianic Jew, who practices Judaism but accepts Jesus >Christ as the Messiah. > She is an entrepreneur and former accountant, hosts a political show on >public-access television and lists her heroes as former British Prime >Minister Margaret Thatcher, Theodore Roosevelt and Confederate Gen. Robert E. >Lee. > Michael, 40, was a Republican until two years ago. She joined the >Libertarian Party. > She preaches the staunch conservatism that sells in the foothills of >the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles, where the right-leaning GOP >Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead, sent to Washington in 1972, is retiring. > Michael's top priorities are reducing the size of the federal >government and its budget deficit. She wants to disband the Internal Revenue >Service and supports Proposition 209, which would eliminate affirmative >action programs in government contracting and hiring and in college >admissions. > Yet her background stands out in the suburban district, where Burbank, >Glendale and Pasadena don't exactly have thriving homosexual cultures. > ``I tend not to be very connected to the gay community,'' said Michael, >born Alannia Aliza Elizabeth Michael in Philadelphia and now living in >Glendale. ``Most of my friends are straight. And a lot of gay people are >Democrats.'' > The focus on her sexual history is ``old hat,'' she said. ``Most people >know about it and care or don't care, but more people care about saving their >country,'' Michael said. ``They want someone who's more loyal to their >country than to foreign lobbyists.'' > She prefers to emphasize her political background: GOP candidate for >the state Senate in 1988, for the California Assembly in 1990 and as >Moorhead's challenger in 1994. > Michael says she is the first ``transgendered'' person to run for >Congress but isn't doing it for the sake of trailblazing. > ``I did it because I love the country,'' she said. ``I see my >involvement in politics as totally removed from whether I had a sex change, >whether I'm a lesbian, what my personal social life is. > ``I am involved in politics because the people involved in politics now >are ruining the country.'' > Michael is not stumping in the traditional way. She does much of her >work on the Internet, trying to get out the vote for Libertarian >congressional candidates across the country. > As chairwoman of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee, she >makes the point that if she gets enough Libertarians and herself elected she >would be speaker of the House. > But she's not counting on it. > ``I'm not thrilled about my chances'' of winning the seat, she said. >``I was a lot more optimistic a year ago than I am now.'' > She cannot count on the votes of supporters of Pat Buchanan, who >challenged GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole in the primaries, she said, >although their ideas should make them a natural fit for her conservatism. > Michael holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of >Pennsylvania. She voted Republican for 14 years but switched two years ago >because ``the party basically was selling rhetoric and not implementing >anything.'' She also tired of GOP ``attacks on gays and lesbians and women,'' >she said. > Democratic challenger Doug T. Kahn and Republican foe James E. Rogan >say they aren't worried about Michael's campaign. > Libertarians have supported Rogan, the Assembly's majority leader, in >prior races, said spokesman Jeff Lennan. > Kahn campaign manager Ted Toppin said Michael is ``well-spoken on her >beliefs'' but will draw ``less then 5 percent in the general election, and I >guarantee it.''
