Vote
Dex anderson
For cbrc
From MN CD5
Reform. Change. Include.
My name is Dex Anderson.
I’m a non-binary transmasculine person in SD62 in South Minneapolis.
And I am running for the Constitution, bylaws, and rules committee to change how the dfl handles gender.
At the congressional district 5 convention, may 9, you will have the opportunity to vote for me for one of two spots on the CBRC. I hope I can earn your vote.
Reform the gender balance rule.
The current “Equal Division of Gender” rule in the DFL is sorely in need of an update and reform. The problems are:
It uses outdated language to refer to gender, including “gender identity” and the terms “male” and “female,” while distinctly refusing to say transgender, two-spirit, or non-binary. This outdated language makes it woefully inadequate to the current needs of the party.
The way it is written is confusing and unclear. Volunteers struggle immensely with implementing the rule and doing the math. It lacks vital clarity.
It functionally acts as affirmative action for men when more women show up, meaning that people who possess the identities we wanted to counterbalance - white, cisgender, hetero male - actually stand a better chance of being chosen for things like delegate spots because it artificially suppresses the number of women.
All of this amounts to a rule that is no longer serving its intended purpose. Setting rules to ensure diversity of lived experiences is extremely important, but we need to likewise ensure that it is not counteracting its own intended purpose. My goal on the CBRC is to join and develop an updated gender balance rule that is truly inclusive.
Change the code of conduct.
The Code of Conduct came about because the DFL needed a mechanism to expel members of the party who behaved inappropriately. At the time, a member was using the DFL as a grounds for sexual predation, and members of the Stonewall Caucus and other party units were able to push for a Code of Conduct and a committee to process complaints and enact proper consequences.
Unfortunately, since that time, the committee has lacked transparency, with complaints lingering in the “hearing” stage for the better part of a year, allowing misbehavior to go unchecked and DFL values to be undermined. It also lacks the ability to engage in mediation or restorative justice, instead opting for responses that are either censure, temporary bans from party business, or removal from office.
As Democrat, we should center restorative justice where we can and develop a truly big tent in creating space for mediation and conflict resolution where possible. As a member of the CBRC, I hope to work to reform the Code of Conduct, as the CBRC can change develop the rules and reforms by which the Code of Conduct Committee operates.
Include marginalized voices.
The CBRC, currently, is 100% cisgender people. If we want this party to be truly inclusive, we have to ensure trans people exist within those committees at the highest level of the party. We need to ensure these voices are being heard and understood and that we have a seat at the table. I am well positioned to be that person.
MEET Dex
Dex currently serves as Vice Chair for Senate District 62, and Outreach and Inclusion for Stonewall DFL. They are the recipient of the 2026 Rick Stafford Award from the Stonewall DFL for working to bring new people into the DFL through organizing and training.
Dex holds a Master of Studies in Women’s Studies from the University of Oxford and lives in South Minneapolis with their two cats. Outside of the DFL, they can be found playing pub trivia every week, writing grants at their day job, or enjoying RuPaul’s Drag Race at the Black Hart in St. Paul.