The job of a public defender isn’t usually considered very glamorous, but a transgender lawyer in Washington is defying stereotypes thanks to her stunning looks.
Attorney Stephanie Mueller, 70, has been open about her background and says it has no bearing on her ability as a public defender.
‘I get good results because I am a good lawyer. My gender is beside the point. “This is very, very fabulous,” Mueller once said.
And on Thursday, the septuagenarian lawyer turned heads after appearing in a Seattle courtroom in a very revealing outfit.
Stephanie Mueller, 70, is one of the only openly transgender trial lawyers in Washington state.
She transitioned in 2012, but recognized her femininity from the age of six. Since she came out she says she has been treated with complete respect and great acceptance in court.
Mueller donned a tight, low-cut blue top with no bra underneath that showed off her huge, surgically enhanced breasts.
He also wore a pair of boots and tight black leather pants. Mueller completed his look with a black choker, yellow earrings, and heavy makeup including scarlet lipstick, green eyeshadow, and thick false eyelashes.
Seattle journalist jonathan choe He was in court to cover the case of Iris Boardman, a left-wing protester accused of disrupting a Seattle City Council meeting.
But it was Mueller who caught the attention of his Twitter followers.
Mueller was a model of efficiency in the courtroom and was filmed arranging a date for a future hearing for Boardman, on May 6, without anyone around her batting an eyelid at her attire.
She also proved she’s not to be trifled with during an exchange with a reporter outside after the trial.
When asked that her client had been caught on camera, the beaming Mueller quickly turned steely.
“She’s innocent, of course,” Mueller insisted. ‘My client has pleaded not guilty and she is not guilty, how about that?’
It’s the kind of seasoned response that could only have come from his two decades of experience working as a representative for disadvantaged clients accused of misdemeanors in the small town of Vashon.
Despite her extravagant appearance, Mueller insists that she has been “treated with complete respect and great acceptance” since her transition in 2012 and that her exaggerated appearance has no bearing on her cases.
“It’s really important to know that since I transitioned, full-time, over 4 years ago, I have been treated with complete respect and great acceptance both personally and professionally,” he wrote on a 2016 GoFundMe page raising money for a car new. .
‘Everywhere I go, people are friendly and polite. The issue has never been raised in court, as it should be the case.’
Mueller believes she may be the only openly transgender trial attorney in the state and says she uses her position to bring “diversity to the practice of law.”
But she admits it can feel “really lonely” to be in such a pioneering position.
Still, Mueller prides herself on being “a distinctive and active voice for civil rights for all, with a particular conscience for the rights of transgender people.”
With thick false eyelashes, huge yellow earrings, and a bright red lip, Mueller certainly stood out in the drab courtroom environment.
Mueller’s flashy suits, like this one seen in Seattle Municipal Court, may raise eyebrows, but she insists they are unrelated to her cases.
Mueller believes she may be the only openly transgender trial attorney in the state and says she uses her position to bring “diversity to the practice of law.”
‘For 20 years I have provided an important public service to my community. “I offer ongoing counseling and support to my clients charged with misdemeanors, most do very well and do not reoffend,” Mueller said.
The video of the exchange with the reporter surprised social media users and many were left speechless at her appearance, which is reminiscent of trans teacher Kayla Lemieux, who also attracted attention when photos circulated showing her enormous breasts while working in a Canadian high school.
Unlike Mueller, Lemieux’s breasts were prosthetic, leading to accusations that she pretended to be trans. Lemieux showed up on the first day of school last fall dressed as a man, which seemed to confirm those claims.
But Mueller, who has two daughters and recognized her femininity at the age of six, explains that her family has fully supported her in her transition.
“Four years ago I had no idea how everyone would react and I really wondered if a jury would take me seriously or, worse, if anyone on a panel would be offended by my appearance,” she said.
Mueller has received full support from her family in her transition and recognized her femininity at age six.
In addition to her part-time public advocacy work, Mueller works with Lavender Rights Project, an organization that supports Black trans and intersex people.
‘I have attended several jury trials since the change and my appearance has never been an issue, as far as I know, and my clients have gotten the not guilty verdicts they should have gotten.
‘But 50 years of apartheid and solitary confinement never fade, so I have to understand and control the tight ball of terror I feel every time (I mean, every time) I go out. I’m getting used to it.’
Mueller’s Facebook indicates that she studied at Earlham College in Indiana and is a native of Old Lyme, Connecticut.
In addition to her part-time public advocacy work, she works with Lavender Rights Project, an organization that supports Black trans and intersex people.
The position adds to a long career in public service, dating back to her first job at a university near Chicago, working as a residential counselor for adolescents with developmental challenges.
She pursued various roles working with at-risk teens before attending law school, which ultimately led her to the role she plays today.
“If you’re doing something in public that no one else seems to be doing, it’s reasonable to question whether you’re doing the right thing,” Mueller admitted.
She explained in 2016 how she tried to find out if there were other “trans lawyers out there.”
‘I’m not sure what it means that I’m the only one, but I plan to ask more questions to more people in the legal community to see what’s what. “I’m still working on it,” Mueller said.
However, she is not entirely alone and in 2022, ten transgender lawyers were admitted to practice before the Supreme Court.