It’s possible that this coming fall George Smitherman will be our city’s first openly gay mayor. But Toronto’s October 2010 election could result in a council with more than one big - and queer - first.

Former ‘supermodel’ Enza Anderson is running to replace Kyle Rae in Toronto Centre-Rosedale. Rae was the first openly gay person elected to city council back in 1991. But he’s announced he will not be going for re-election, which means Anderson’s chances have just gone up.

Winning would make Anderson the first out trans person ever to serve on a city council in Canada.

“I think that (Toronto is) a city that has worked hard to promote diversity,” Anderson said. “Having a trans person on council is a step to making history in Toronto.”

But Anderson is quick to point out her gender is far from the only thing that counts in her campaign.

“My goal is to show people it’s my ideas that will get me into office, not my gender,” Anderson said.

Anderson already has a few political campaigns behind her. She came in second in 2003 when she ran for the ward for the first time. And then there was her run for mayor in 2000, where she placed third.

It was an impressive showing considering Anderson’s campaign consisted of standing on street corners. She had a placard that read ‘a super city deserves a supermodel.’ The moniker continues to be remembered. But it’s been 10 years, and Anderson has been busy. In many ways, she’s moved on.

She’s started two careers. She’s a columnist for the commuter paper, Metro. She also works at the Bank of Montreal at Church and Alexander. Without experience in either area, Anderson pitched herself successfully to both employers. She’s proven herself since.

“I consider myself an opportunist,” Anderson said. “If you don’t go for it, then you’ll regret it totally.”

Anderson says she recognizes the diverse needs of the riding she may represent. Toronto Centre-Rosedale is a mash-up that includes the queer community in the Church-Wellesley village, the affluent Rosedale and the low-income Moss Park neighbourhoods.

“I noticed sometimes seniors get left out of a lot of social programs simply because they are too frail to gain access,” Anderson said. “It’s a matter of making sure that those who are less fortunate than us are taken care of the most.”

Over the years, Anderson has also spoken about sex worker rights. As an example, she talks about the years-old conflict at the corner of Jarvis and Maitland. It’s where transsexual sex workers have worked for years. It’s also where the condo owners who live on the corner have been less than happy with the local trade.

“I think the people who move into that area first have to know what area they’re moving into,” Anderson said. “There also has to be a dialogue with those sex workers. If there is an opportunity for you guys to do your business indoors, then let’s see if that can happen.”

Open dialogue is something Anderson has incorporated into her journalism career. It may be a skill that comes in handy if she makes it to city council.

“I think that’s what being a journalist is all about,” Anderson said. “Asking curious questions and pushing the envelope. … You can’t be afraid to ask those questions.”

Anderson’s journalism experience, like herself, is colourful. Along with her gig at Metro, she’s also been a clothed reporter on the Naked News Daily Male and she’s written over the years for Toronto’s queer community newspaper, XTRA!

For one XTRA! article, Anderson, at the time identifying as a drag queen, dressed in an Ontario Provincial Police shirt to attend a Toronto Crime Stoppers Annual Chief of Police dinner. The ‘point’ of the article was for police officers to talk about the sexiness of their uniforms. The context behind the article is more meaningful: back in 2000, many in Toronto’s queer community were upset about the recent appointment of Julian Fantino as Toronto chief of police. There were mutual feelings of distrust and tension. Anderson’s cheek took guts.

“For me incorporating humour is like breaking the ice,” Anderson said. “It’s like something to attract people. Saying, ‘Hey come over here, ask me a question. Ask me why I’m wearing this cop shirt.’ … Then I’ll tell you why and I’ll tell you more about myself. It’s just a matter of creating comfortable inviting spaces around you.”

Anderson’s thoughts reflect her attitude of open dialogue and compromise.

“At that moment the police were afraid of a community they didn’t understand,” Anderson said. “But they opened their minds and started working with the community. Then they realized we’re not such bad people. … I think (Fantino) finally realized that.”

One wonders if the pope could have had a similar realization. After all, if Anderson had actually won the race for mayor in 2000, Toronto would have had a visible, unapologetically queer mayor greet the pope for World Youth Day in 2002.

“What a great statement that would have made to a man, and to a religion, that deems homosexuality as evil,” Anderson said. “In all honesty, I probably would have had to bow to him. … But he literally would have had to accept me and look beyond my gender or sexuality.”

If Anderson wins this October, there may be many such moments ahead.