This Gay Veteran Who Wears Heels Just Won a Mayor’s Race in Texas

Yes, yes, yes. As Into reported, Bruno 'Ralphy' Lozano, who has served as a security forces patrolman in the US military, was elected mayor of the small Texas border town, Del Rio. The openly-gay man (who frequently wears heels), captured 62 percent of the vote, defeating incumbent Robert Garza, the Del Rio News-Herald reports.

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According to the Into article, Lozano, who is well-known in the town for his efforts to clean up local waterways, said Del Rio has the potential to be a positive example for America's Latino population under the Trump presidency.

He is also a champion for the LGBTQ community--and isn't afraid to be himself. In fact, when he marched in last year's veterans' parade, he did so in a pair of heels (which he wears often when he travels).

While he mentioned many praised him for wearing stilettos (especially women at the parade), he also faced his share of criticism. According to Into, a meme of Lozano circulated on Facebook featuring two pictures of him in heels and a tutu. It called him a "faggot" with AIDS, he claimed.

But regardless, he continues to push forward. As this report claimed, he viewed the attack as the cost of being visible and recounts his time in the military when he had to enforce "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"I am not ashamed of who I am, so I chose not to reenlist," Lozano told Into. "I kept going. I moved on with my life," he said. "Stonewall happened because drag queens and a minority group stood up to animosity, and I had to go back in the closet because of that same hatred. I know what that was like, and it translates to today's campaign. I'm not going to bow down. I am who I am. Accept me or not."

Click here for more info on Lozano--and watch his campaign video below.