PH-born openly gay teacher elected mayor of a Florida city

The Philippines-born Ty Penserga won 60 percent of the votes cast on the March 8 election in Boynton Beach, Florida. HANDOUT

While Florida state senators in Tallahassee voted in favor of the controversial “don’t say gay” bill, the City of Boynton Beach elected an openly gay Filipino American high school teacher as its mayor.

City commissioner and high school teacher Ty Penserga is the first out LGBTQ+ Asian-American elected mayor in Florida.

The Philippines-born Penserga won 60 percent of the votes cast on Tuesday’s (March 8) election, according to WPTV. He will succeed Mayor Steven Grant, who is termed out as mayor. He defeated candidates Cindy Falco-Di Corrado, Golene Gordon and Bernard Wright.

Penserga previously served as vice mayor and was elected to the Boynton Beach commission in 2020.

“We did it, together, Boynton Beach! Thank you to everyone who supported the campaign and all the residents, community organizations, and local businesses who trusted in me. I am honored to be your next Mayor. I look forward to serving all of you!” he posted online.

Penserga was elected the same day the Florida state Senate passed Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which would prohibit “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” in primary schools.

“There is more we have in common than separates us. Most of us are not just one thing, or one category, we cross boundaries. Those are real people with real stories like many of you,” he said of his win.

He recalled his Asian American friends and their siblings getting attacked in college and public conveyances.

“Nobody was there to fight for us. Where are the protests? Who’s going to City Hall? We didn’t have anyone. That’s where my story began,” Penserga explained.

Annise Parker, president and CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, said in a statement, “While legislators in Tallahassee were trying to silence us, voters were making their voices heard at the ballot box. And with resounding enthusiasm, they chose equality.

“Not only did Ty shatter a lavender ceiling in Boynton Beach tonight, his election is a clear call of hope to LGBTQ people in Florida and across the country who are tirelessly battling legislatures bent on stripping away our basic human rights and freedoms.”

Parkers notes there are only three other out mayors in Florida.

During Penserga’s victory party, several of his students at Suncoast Community High School came out to support him, according to South Florida Gay News.

“The one thing I can tell you is he leads the class. He knows how to communicate with the students. He makes really good relationships with all of us. He’s an advocate for us and I think he’s going to be a really good advocate for Boynton Beach as well,” Matthew Lind, 16, told the outlet.

“He’s really understanding with his students. And I feel like he just explains things really well. I think that he would be a good representative,” said Kaylin Portieles, 17.