In Oklahoma, Mauree Turner has made history this election season by becoming the first openly non-binary and Muslim state legislator. The community activist, with she/they pronouns, is now a symbol of what inclusive representation in politics looks like.
What We Know:
- Mauree Turner’s campaign was endorsed by the LGBTQ Victory Fund – a group that supports openly LGBTQ+ representatives making their way into American politics. The Victory Fund also recognizes the 325% increase in genderqueer and non-binary candidates running in the 2020 election nationwide.
- As a nonbinary person, Turner does not define their identity as strictly male or female. They are also black, queer, and Muslim.
- According to USA Today, Turner captured over 71% of the votes in Oklahoma’s 88th House District. This was enough to successfully secure a victory over Republican nominee Kelly Barlean.
- Turner’s focus of their campaign is to actively address community issues surrounding racial injustice, immigration rights, public education, and criminal justice reform. You can find more about their platform on their campaign site.
When asked about the victory, Annise Parker, CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said, “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.”
