Oklahoma voters elected the first Muslim and openly nonbinary representative to their State House on Tuesday.
Mauree Turner, 27, marked another tally in a series of wins for LGBTQ candidates in 2020, according to The Washington Post. Turner defeated Republican challenger Kelly Barlean to represent Oklahoma’s 88th District in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers parts of Oklahoma City.
“This campaign, this movement that we built really hinged on visibility,” Turner told The Washington Post. “The legislature hasn’t always been a friendly or welcoming place to many folks, and this was about drawing space — not fighting for a seat at the table, but creating a new table altogether.”
Annise Parker, President & CEO for LGBTQ Victory Fund, said regarding the victory:
“Of all the states to achieve a milestone political moment for non-binary people, few would have thought it would be Oklahoma, where there are so few LGBTQ elected officials. But Mauree ran a tireless campaign focused on the issues that matter to their district while also being authentic and open about who they are. Mauree is now a trailblazer for non-binary people and their courage to run openly will inspire more non-binary people to pursue careers in elected office.”
‘Rainbow Ceiling’
Elliot Imse, the fund’s communications director, said that Turner and others broke the “rainbow ceiling,” according to The Washington Post.
As the Post reported, voters in New York elected the first two gay Black men to Congress, while Sarah McBride in Delaware became the country’s first transgender state senator.
“Having our first nonbinary state legislator is in itself an enormous win for the community, but it’s especially so given that it is happening in Oklahoma, of all states,” Imse said to The Washington Post. “Having any LGBTQ person elected there is really exciting.”
In the neighboring state of Kansas, voters also made history by electing their first transgender state legislator this week.
As The Daily Wire reported, Kansas elected a transgender woman to the state legislature Tuesday, marking a first not just for Kansas, but for the entire Midwest.
Democrat Stephanie Byers, a 57-year-old retired high school band teacher, won the District 86 Kansas House seat with 54.4% of the vote, according to unofficial results reported by The Wichita Eagle. District 86 contains portions of Wichita.
“We’ve made history here,” Byers said of the outcome, which remains preliminary and contingent upon ballots that were postmarked by Tuesday. “We’ve done something in Kansas most people thought would never happen, and we did it with really no push-back, by just focusing on the issues.”
Byers told The Wichita Eagle that one of the reasons behind the decision to run was the feeling of frustration as a teacher when state representatives would cut school funding. “I didn’t really have much time outside of my class to be able to stand up and say, ‘Hey, this isn’t right,’” Byers said. “And so when I retired, that’s one of the things that kind of percolated around in my head.”
it will be all muslims in a few years time running america
Let’s take a deep breath here. This is no more likely than in a few years the country being run by retired transgender piccolo players, Ian.
Maybe not in a few years, but rest assured it will happen.
IF the world lasts long enough!!!
I, personally, do not care what color of skin, one is, I do not care what ethnicity, one is, I do not care what gender one is, the main thing, is that regardless WHO wins an election, does the right thing for AMERICA, our country……THAT, is what matters……………..
I don’t and will ever trust any Muslim living here period no Muslim should hold any state or federal position 😡😡
So true u can thank that Muslim Obama for them being here! He was the worst president we had other than that creep Biden when he and the dirty dems steal this election Adios America! I voted straight republicans never used to do that! I usually voted for the person best for the job but after what they did to Kavanaugh and now stealing the election! I will never vote again 🤬 Not to mention that tramp camel VP look up Willie Brown she slept her way to where she is dirty B
I agree with you. I give Biden 6 months before he is removed.
Take a good look at these fringe minority groups….what common good do they do???
Promote Bible burning, rip up the Bill of Rights and Constitution, attack home schooling, crush Jewish and Christian participating in public life into the mud, destroy military readiness, cozy up to Red China and other barbaric regimes…..
That is NOT American public cause !!!!!!
Kinda like what the squad members are doing for America, right?
I would agree with the exception of Islamist when you can check what the quran says it is Not a Religion of Peace with a 109 References to killing Infidels which means Non Muslims look at Omar & Tilaib is that what you want X 434 ?
Dear lord p,ease deliver us from the votes of the braindead for the mentally handicapted
These stupid American voters will get the government that they deserve.
REGRET, Coming up.
Are there any non-American voters on this blog? why would someone comment about stupid American voters? Why would you be suspect of someone that doesn’t look like you? Many, many people don’t look like you! Since time began, brother. The world has survived by lots of those people fighting for you to be free TODAY. I remember those people who don’t look like me! They gave their life for me or their arms or legs or eyes or their serenity because they can’t get the damn hellish images of what happened during the war to go away! Grow up, put you big boy and girl pants on and fight together for the right for everyone and anyone who wants to live HERE to pay taxes just like you do. Or do you think TRUMP pays taxes because he SAYS he does? How stupid do you think I am? He is a corporate a**hole just like Gates or Koch, they don’t give a you know what about us. And it sounds like all YOU have fallen for the drivel they give to the media to publish so you keep buying their crap.