The work of a public defender is not typically considered very glamorous, but a transgender attorney in Washington is challenging stereotypes thanks to her striking appearance.
Attorney Stephanie Mueller, 70, has been open about her background and says it does not affect her abilities as a public defender.
‘I get good results because I am a good lawyer. My gender doesn’t matter. This is very, very fantastic,” Mueller once said.
And on Thursday, the 70-year-old lawyer raised eyebrows after appearing in a Seattle court in a very revealing outfit.
Stephanie Mueller, 70, is one of the only openly transgender female trial attorneys in Washington state
She transitioned in 2012, but recognized her femininity since the age of six. Since coming out, she says she has been treated with complete respect and great acceptance in court
Mueller wore a form-fitting, low-cut blue top with no bra underneath, which put her enormous, surgically enhanced breasts on full display.
She also wore skin-tight black leather pants and boots. Mueller completed her look with a black choker, yellow earrings and heavy makeup with deep red lipstick, green eye shadow and thick false eyelashes.
Seattle journalist Jonathan Choe was in court to report on 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.
A model of efficiency in the courtroom, Mueller was filmed agreeing on a date for a future hearing for Boardman – May 6 – while no one around her batted an eyelid at her clothing.
She also proved during a conversation with a journalist outside the procedure that she is not to be trifled with.
When challenged that her client had been caught on camera, the beaming Mueller quickly turned steely.
“She is, of course, innocent,” Mueller insisted. “My client has pleaded not guilty and she is not guilty, what about that?”
It’s the kind of seasoned response that only comes from her two decades of experience representing underprivileged clients accused of crimes in the small town of Vashon.
Despite her outlandish appearance, Mueller insists she has been “treated with complete respect and great acceptance” since her transition in 2012 and that her over-the-top appearance has not affected her business.
“It is very important to know that since transitioning full-time over four years ago, I have been treated with complete respect and great acceptance both personally and professionally,” she wrote on a 2016 GoFundMe page to raise money for a new car .
‘Everywhere I go, people are friendly and polite. The issue has never been raised in court, as it should be.”
Mueller believes she may be the only openly transgender female trial attorney in the state and says she is using her position to “bring diversity to the practice of law.”
But she admits it can feel “very lonely” to be in such a groundbreaking position.
Still, Mueller prides herself on being “a distinctive and active voice for the civil rights of all, with a particular awareness of transgender rights.”
With thick false eyelashes, huge yellow earrings and a bright red lip, Mueller certainly stood out in the dull courtroom.
Mueller’s flashy outfits, like this one seen at Seattle Municipal Court, may raise eyebrows, but she insists they don’t affect her cases
Mueller believes she may be the only openly transgender female trial attorney in the state and says she is using her position to bring “diversity to the practice of law.”
‘I have been providing an important public service to my community for twenty years. I provide counseling and ongoing support to my clients accused of minor crimes. Most of them do very well and don’t reoffend,” Mueller said.
The video of the conversation with the reporter raised eyebrows among social media users, with many taking notice of her appearance, reminiscent of trans teacher Kayla Lemieux who also attracted attention when photos circulated showing her enormous breasts while worked at a Canadian high school.
Unlike Mueller, Lemieux’s breasts were prosthetic, prompting accusations that she was pretending to be transgender. Lemieux showed up on the first day of school last fall dressed as a man, which seemed to confirm these claims.
But Mueller, who has two daughters and recognized her womanhood at the age of six, explains that her family has been fully supportive of 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.
In addition to her part-time public advocacy work, Mueller works with the Lavender Rights Project, an organization that supports Black trans and intersex individuals.
“I have done several jury trials since making the switch and, as far as I know, my appearance has never been an issue, and my clients have gotten the not guilty verdicts they should have gotten.
“But fifty years of apartheid and solitary confinement will never be undone, so I have to understand and manage the tight ball of terror I feel every time (I mean every time) I step outside. I’m starting to get used to it.’
Mueller’s Facebook indicates that she attended Earlham College in Indiana and is from Old Lyme, Connecticut.
In addition to her part-time work in public defender’s office, she works with the Lavender Rights Project, an organization that supports Black trans and intersex individuals.
The position adds to a long career in public service, dating back to her first job out of college near Chicago, where she worked as a residential counselor for teens with developmental disabilities.
Before law school, several roles worked with at-risk teens, ultimately leading to the role she currently holds.
“When you do something in public that no one else seems to be doing, it’s fair to wonder whether you’re doing the right thing,” Mueller conceded.
She explained in 2016 how she was trying to find out if other “transfeminine lawyers exist.”
“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 at the Supreme Court.