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Friday, Feb 8, 2013 9:00 AM UTC

Polish transgender lawmaker loses shot at top post

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Polish transgender lawmaker loses shot at top postLawmaker Anna Grodzka speaks to The Associated Press during an interview in the Polish Parliament, Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013. Grodzka attracted huge attention when she was elected in 2011, and as a vote in Parliament comes Friday that could make her a deputy speaker she is earning even more. Whether or not the 58-year-old wins the post, she has already had a huge impact on the political scene, becoming perhaps the most prominent symbol of liberal change in a country that has traditionally been deeply conservative and overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. Grodzka had sex change surgery in 2010 in Thailand after a lifetime of feeling she was born the wrong sex. Before the change her name was Krzysztof Begowski, and she had a wife and a son. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)(Credit: AP)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s first transgender lawmaker has lost her chance to become a deputy speaker in Parliament after a representative she might have replaced refused to resign and lawmakers voted to keep her in place.

Anna Grodzka attracted huge attention when she was elected in 2011. She garnered even more in recent days when she became a potential candidate for a deputy speaker post.

Even though the job appears out of reach for now, the 58-year-old has already had a huge impact on the political scene, becoming perhaps the most prominent symbol of liberal change in a traditionally conservative and largely Roman Catholic country.

More By Vanessa Gera.

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