A 24-year-old transgender socialist who describes herself as a ‘poly, kinky trans, lesbian’ has announced her bid to unseat a Queens assemblyman accused of sexual assault and become Albany’s first openly trans legislator.
Emilia Decaudin announced she is running for the District 37 Assembly seat in an interview with Citi on Tuesday.
Decoudin said he would run against assemblyman Juan Ardilla, who has resisted calls from party leaders to resign over sexual misconduct allegations.
She credits her decision to run on trans rights legislation in the state legislature and the need for housing reform to “the lack of leadership in the district right now.”
“There were many people in the community who responded to this void of leadership, and asked me, ‘What’s going on? Like, is it something you’re thinking of doing?’ Decaudin told Citi.
Emilia Decaudin announced she is running for the District 37 Assembly seat in an interview with Citi on Tuesday. Decaudin’s victory in 2024 would make him New York’s first openly transgender state legislator.
Juan Ardilla (right), has resisted calls for the resignation of party leaders accused of sexual misconduct. Ardila’s colleagues condemned his alleged actions and called for his resignation
‘These are questions that are not routinely asked by liberal or progressive lawmakers. They’re trying to do what they can now, and that’s great, and I support them,’ he added.
“They’re not working on the same horizon of, ‘How do we get beyond this?'” said Decaudin, who grew up in a conservative community in Westchester County.
‘And like that, how do we balance all these concerns with the world that we want to be in at the end? How can we do more than fight for the best we can get today?’ He continued.
Decaudin said he is ready to fight for a state that works for “working people, not the rich and powerful,” according to his campaign website.
“It’s official,” he tweeted on Tuesday. ‘I am a Democratic Socialist running for Assembly District 37 in Western Queens to become New York’s first transgender legislator and fight for a state that works for working people, not the rich and powerful.’
The 24-year-old promised to make it affordable for people living in New York City.
She credits her decision to run on trans rights legislation in the state legislature and the need for housing reform to “the lack of leadership in the district right now.”
The 24-year-old promised to make it affordable for people living in New York City
“New York’s promise as a sanctuary for the marginalized and oppressed falls flat when people can’t afford to live here,” he wrote on his campaign website.
‘With your help, we will build a state where housing is affordable, where utilities are affordable, where the air is clean, where the roads are safe, and where a good, union job that pays a living wage is within everyone’s reach,’ she added.
Decoudin was first elected to the Democratic State Committee in 2018 to represent part of Westchester County.
She came out as a transgender woman in 2019 and worked to amend a state election law to allow non-binary New Yorkers to run for county committee positions in political parties that required gender-based contests, successfully changing the century-old amendment.
Decaudin’s victory in 2024 would make him New York’s first openly transgender state legislator.
He will cover the district, including parts of Long Island City, Sunnyside, Maspeth and Ridgewood, and will join a cadre of other recently elected Democratic officials in western Queens, including state lawmakers Kristen Gonzalez, Zohran Mamdani and Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas.
In March, Queens Assemblyman Juan Ardilla (D-Queens) accused two women of sexual harassment during a 2015 party.
Ardila denied all allegations of sexual misconduct by the two women in June after previously claiming he was no longer disputing their claims.
He and Melissa Scholarz are currently the state’s first openly trans district leaders.
In March, Queens Assemblyman Juan Ardilla (D-Queens) accused two women of sexually assaulting him during a 2015 party.
Ardila denied all allegations of sexual misconduct by the two women in June after previously claiming he was no longer disputing their claims.
Ardila said in a statement, ‘I have not sexually assaulted anyone or indulged in any sexual harassment.
According to the Daily News, the two women said Ardila touched them without their consent and exposed himself to one of them.
Ardila’s colleagues condemned his alleged actions and called for his resignation.
New York City Councilwoman Julie Wan (D-Queens) ‘I get more upset every day by Juan Ardilla,’ who is among the elected officials calling for the state representative to resign.
She added, ‘Juan’s recent comments and his self-funded ‘independent report’ continue to demonstrate his complete lack of remorse and his pathological hatred of women.
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