Women and Politics

This post was submitted by Rebecca Freedholm, WCF Communications Fellow

While I was initially excited to see WCF endorsed candidate Brittany Novotny appear in The New York Times, I was disappointed by Hailey R. Branson’s portrayal of the Oklahoma State House race in her article, “A Gay Campaign? Both Sides Demur.” The title of the article tells everything—this race should not be about Novotny’s sexuality or gender identity, and yet this is what many, including Branson, are going to focus on nonetheless.

From the beginning of her candidacy, Novotny has maintained that she does not want her transgender identity to be at the forefront of her campaign. In fact, she doesn’t think it should be an issue at all: “I want to be a representative, and I don’t want to let the fact that I went through that part of my life affect that I am right for the job.”

Although Novotny is not running on a LGBT rights platform, her opposition, led by Republican incumbent Sally Kern, continues to suggest that Novotny has an explicit “homosexual agenda” funded by a “homosexual lobby.” Not only are these allegations utterly untrue, but they are also intensely hypocritical; Kern is the candidate forcing sexuality into the spotlight of this race and conducting an anti-LGBT campaign.

In 2008, OK State Rep. Sally Kern made national headlines when she voiced her extreme views on homosexuality. Kern insisted that homosexuality is “the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism and Islam” and continued by contending that “this stuff is deadly and it spreads and it will destroy our young people and it will destroy this nation.”

She has since garnered support from radical groups like Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ, which actively and publicly condemns homosexuality as well as Brittany Novotny’s candidacy. Kern may deem herself the “pro-family” representative, but she seems more aptly to be the anti-LGBT, anti-woman representative. Novotny expressed her concerns about her opponent to Greg Horton from The Oklahoma Gazette:

“[Sally Kern] said in her bio in The Oklahoman that she entered politics to fight a culture war. Her agenda is a social one, not one to build a better community by focusing on economic development, jobs, small businesses, education and other issues that impact all Oklahomans.”

Novotny places these essential issues—jobs, education, economic development, and transportation—on the front line of her platform. That’s why Branson’s depiction of Novotny was so unfortunate; Novotny was described simply as Kern’s transgender opponent rather than as the strong, multifaceted candidate she truly is.

“Honestly, I don’t feel that this version is a fair representation of the time the reporter spent with me on the campaign trail. There are no quotes about me knocking doors or from my supporters, while there is a quote from a Sally supporter (who doesn’t live in the district). I feel that the piece presented me as a candidate fighting for LGBT rights, when in fact I’m a candidate fighting for Oklahoma’s future through Jobs, Education, and Transportation (issues that affect ALL Oklahomans).”

At WCF, we believe that Brittany Novotny is an intelligent, motivated, and dedicated candidate who will make significant changes once elected to Oklahoma’s State House. While we think that her unique life experiences may provide much needed diversity in government, above all we admire her commitment to improving the lives of Oklahoma citizens and believe that she is the right candidate to “build a brighter future for Oklahoma.”

Continuing our Spotlight on Candidates series, I want to introduce you to Leslie Crocker Snyder - candidate for Manhattan District Attorney. With over 35 years of experience as a prosecutor, judge, and public servant, Judge Snyder has established herself as a bold and innovative leader in criminal justice reform.

A staunch advocate for women’s rights, during her nine years as an Assistant District Attorney, Judge Snyder founded the first Sex Crimes Prosecution Bureau and co-authored New York’s Rape Shield Law.  Most recently, she wrote an op-ed piece for the Huffington Post, using the Chris Brown and Rihanna case to highlight the need for law enforcement reform in domestic violence cases.

Judge Snyder is also a vocal supporter of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.  As District Attorney, she promises to address the concerns of the LGBT community, starting with the hiring of openly LGBT staff and assigning an active liaison to the LGBT community. Snyder writes in the New York Blade:

“It has been decades since the Manhattan District Attorney’s office has engaged the gay community in a meaningful way. It is the District Attorney’s job to ensure that every citizen is treated fairly. This means that the District Attorney must listen to every community.”

Following the announcement by current District Attorney Robert Morgenthau that he would not seek a 10th term in 2009, the race has shaped up to become what the New York Times calls the “first seriously contested district attorney’s race in Manhattan in more than 30 years.”  Judge Snyder first ran for this seat in 2005.  Though she garnered the endorsement of the heavily influential New York Times, she was unable to unseat the well entrenched incumbent, winning approximately 42% of the vote.

Now poised to make comeback, Snyder faces a competitive primary against two former prosecutors, Cyrus Vance Jr. and Richard Aborn.  Due to the heavily leaning Democratic composition of the borough, the winner of the September primary will likely also determine the general election outcome. Stay tuned for more about Leslie as her race continues to gain momentum.