OKLAHOMA CITY — In response to the Oklahoma House of Representatives’ refusal to engage in a conversation around updating the House rules in light of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, the ACLU of Oklahoma and Freedom Oklahoma issued the following statements:
The following is attributable to Tamya Cox-Touré, ACLU of Oklahoma Executive Director:
“Oklahomans have the right to be free from discrimnation based on their gender identity, and this includes elected officials. Yesterday's actions by the House of Representatives to table Rep. Turner’s amendments to update the House rules and dress code to be both gender neutral and further define the standard of business professional shows how out of step many elected officials are. Refusing to engage in the conversation or update the House rules in light of the United States Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling and at the request of a new colleague to have their humanity respected in the document that governs their workplace, illustrates that this body does not view their work in service of all of their constituents.“
The following is attributable to Allie Shinn, Freedom Oklahoma Executive Director:
“The expectation of elected leadership is that they do what the people elected them to do: lead. In 2021, it’s clear that too many members of the Oklahoma Legislature intend to continue their trend of legislating without the interests of their constituents in mind. It is not too much to ask a representative democracy to represent all of the people who call Oklahoma home. The United States Supreme Court has made clear that long held prohibitions on gender based discrimination protect LGBTQ+ Americans. The Oklahoma Legislature had an opportunity yesterday to adhere to that ruling and allow for a gender-neutral dress code, a small but critical step in signaling to LGBTQ+ members of the legislature and folks across Oklahoma that they are equally valued. Instead, they chose to work against the interests and rights of their colleagues and so many people who call this state home.”
