Freedom Oklahoma statement on house passage of HB 3217

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 7, 2024

Nicole McAfee (they/she), Freedom Oklahoma Executive Director,

HB 3217: God Hates Flags?

Pride flags, events, the latest targets in Legislative Attempts to Chill Speech, Isolate 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans

Oklahoma City, OK – The latest efforts in the national attacks on 2SLGBTQ+ folks, have leaned heavily on banning imagery associated with 2SLGBTQ+ pride, allyship, and support, particularly flags. In Oklahoma, Rep Kevin West took the pride flag ban a step further, by chilling speech for state employees, banning any dollars from being spent on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex pride, or on activities or messaging with related themes. The purposefully ambiguous language is meant to ensure that state agencies cannot adequately serve more than 160,000+ Oklahoma adults and an untold amount of 2SLGBTQ+ youth in the state. On the passage of HB 3217 from the House State Powers Committee, Freedom Oklahoma issued the following statement:

“Not even a week into session, and already the House has declared their obsession with targeting and isolating 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans will continue this year. HB 3217 is a bill with clear intentions to chill speech, while threatening public health, putting federal funding at risk, and further disrupting the ability of more than 160,000 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans from receiving culturally competent services from the state,” said Nicole McAfee, Executive Director of Freedom Oklahoma. “If 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahoma adults all lived in one area, our population would be the third largest city in the state. But we don't all live in the same place. We're everywhere. In small towns, big cities, on tribal lands. We work in schools, in state government offices, in businesses large and small. You cannot ban us or disappear us, and it's a shame that Rep Kevin West is continuing his obsessive focus on targeting and isolating 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans with this newest. 2SLGBTQ+ folks have always been on this land, and we will always be here. We deserve a state that will serve us, with pride.”  

HB 3217 by Rep Kevin West passed the House State Powers Committee by a vote of 7-2. It is next eligible to head to the House floor.   

Pronouns: Nicole McAfee, they/she

Freedom Oklahoma is the state's only dedicated 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy organization, and works each day to build a future where all 2SLGBTQ+ people have the safety to thrive. You can learn more about Freedom Oklahoma at https://www.freedomoklahoma.org/.

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