This story originally appeared on The Advocate.
Nonbinary Delaware state representative DeShanna Neal secured their seat for District 13 after running unopposed.
Neal was first elected to the Delaware Statehouse in 2022, making them the state’s first-ever nonbinary elected official, and won reelection in 2024. Decision Desk HQ called their 2026 midterm win at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. They ran on a progressive platform focused on accessibility, housing rights, education and other issues, earning endorsements from LGBTQ+ groups.
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For Neal, the fight for LGBTQ+ and transgender rights isn’t just political; it’s personal. As a Black parent of four children, including two transgender daughters, Neal has spoken openly about the responsibility they feel to protect their family. They advocated for the creation of the state’s first pediatric gender-affirming care clinic at Nemours Children’s Hospital, which formally opened in 2018 but has since stopped accepting new patients as it faces investigation from the Donald Trump administration.
In a 2016 essay for The Advocate, Neal wrote about their advocacy on behalf of trans families. “As a Black mom, I am committed to doing what I can to change things,” they wrote. “One of the single most important things I can do is simply tell my story and show other families of color that they are not alone. We must create a space to support one another and create a culture where no one has to choose between their Blackness, their sexuality, their gender identity, their love of g-d, and their love of family.”
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In the Delaware state legislature, they have advocated for legislation that bolsters social protections for Delawareans. In 2026, they co-sponsored bills that establish higher standards for neonatal care, create a gun safety office, and require insurance companies to cover preventative HIV medications such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). In 2025, they successfully advocated for the passage of the state’s Freedom to Read Act, which limits book bans across Delaware schools and public libraries.
Beyond their work in the statehouse, Neal is a children’s author, releasing the 2020 book My Rainbow based on their real-life advocacy with their daughter Trinity.
