Freedom Oklahoma Statement on Senate Passage of 3 Bills Attacking 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans
March 24, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole McAfee, Executive Director, 830-334-1660, nicole@freedomoklahoma.org
OKLAHOMA CITY -In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Oklahoma Senate released an agenda that featured legislation by Senators who voted yes on SB 1647 the night before. Among the priorities considered by the chamber were 3 bills (SB 2, SB 1100, and SB 9) advancing malicious attacks on trans kids, nonbinary people, and the speech of Oklahomans through the lens of disrupting access to representation of gender and sexual diversity. In response to the passage of the 3 measures, including SB 2 now headed to the Governor, Freedom Oklahoma issued the following statement:
The following statement is attributable to Nicole McAfee, Executive Director of Freedom Oklahoma:
“2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans are exhausted. Terrified. Angry. Because today the Senate used all of their power to levy attacks against some of our most vulnerable community members, based in erasure, marginalization, and discrimination of 2SLGBTQ+ people. It's unacceptable. Trans girls are girls. Nonbinary Oklahomans exist. Having representation of gender and sexual diversity available to young folks is not obscene, but efforts to not only censor it but criminalize it certainly are. The Senate advanced these measures knowing the cost to the mental and physical health of 2SLGBTQ+ people, especially trans, nonbinary, and Two Spirit kids. There's not much more to say about such malicious harm beyond continuing to condone it. Today the Senate advanced a political quid pro quo that allowed these extremist bills to even be heard.
As we continue to see 2SLGBTQ+ identities erased or the target of discrimination, we remind everyone that Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Nonbinary, Gender Diverse, Asexual, Intersex, Pansexual, Gender Nonconforming, and everyone under the broader umbrella of gender and sexual diversity have always been here. We deserve the safety to thrive. We deserve dignity, from our policymakers and from the policy itself. ”
Pronouns:
Nicole McAfee: they/she
We know that stories amplifying attacks on 2SLGBTQ+ people have a measurable negative impact on mental health. We ask that stories covering this topic include information to access 2SLGBTQ+ affirming mental health support, such as Trans Lifeline (877-565-8860), the Trevor Project (call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678), and the LGBT Hotline (888-843-4564)