Does a senator's 'filth' statement reflect Oklahoma? The impacts of rhetoric on state's LGBTQ+ community

They were brief statements — less than a minute long and made in response to a question.

But in that moment, state Sen. Tom Woods put a capstone on what many believe has become the toxic atmosphere of Oklahoma’s state government — a government that embraces the right-wing of the Republican Party and, at the same time, critics say, marginalizes those who are different.

Responding to a question about the state Legislature's preoccupation with the LGBTQ+ community and the death of Nex Benedict, a high school student who died a day after being involved in a fight in the Owasso High School bathroom, Woods, a Republican from Westville, said: "We are a religious state. We are a religious state and we are going to fight to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state — we are a moral state. We want to lower taxes, and for people to live and work, and to go to the faith they choose."

A few moments later Woods doubled down. “I support my constituency, and like I said, we’re a Christian state, and we are tired of having that shoved down our throat at every turn,” he said.

By Monday, the story had spread across the globe. Outlets across Oklahoma and others such as National Public Radio, NBC and London’s Daily Mail all carried stories.

More: Listen to the audio of Oklahoma Sen. Tom Woods calling LGBTQ+ community 'filth'

Ryan Walters, Gov. Kevin Stitt, and others have used similar language

And Woods isn’t the only state politician using that type of language.

State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters has focused on the LGBTQ+ community since he’s been in office. Walters has continually referred to transgender students and teacher's unions as threats and made unsubstantiated claims that schools are teaching what he calls "radical gender theory" and attempting to indoctrinate students into the LGBTQ+ lifestyle.

Last September, Gov. Kevin Stitt delivered the welcome speech at the National Federation of Republican Women’s convention in Oklahoma City. During the speech, Stitt pushed back against transgender athletes in high school sports, and the crowd erupted in wild applause and a standing ovation.

"We know that biological males don't belong in women's sports," the governor said. Stitt said he is protecting children from "dangerous, leftist ideology that has plagued the nation."

Long before that, in 2008, then-state Rep. Sally Kern, a Republican from Bethany, described members of the gay community as a "bigger threat than terrorism" and attempted to pass a measure that protect "gay conversion" therapy.

Anti-LGBTQ sentiment has impacted Oklahomans in their jobs and lives

On the world stage, Oklahoma, it seems, isn’t OK for some, particularly the LGBTQ+ community — a problem that has spilled over into the business and public safety arenas.

A 2019 study from the University of California at Los Angeles underscores this. According to the UCLA study, an estimated 113,000 LGBTQ+ adults live in Oklahoma. In addition, the study indicated there are about 74,000 LGBTQ+ people age 16 and older in Oklahoma’s workforce.

Those groups, the study said, aren't protected by a state law that expressly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The lack of a law leaves LGBTQ+ people vulnerable to harassment and discrimination in the state.

In addition, a 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found "that 26% of transgender respondents from Oklahoma who held or applied for a job in the prior year reported that they had been fired, denied a promotion, or not hired because of their gender identity or expression," and 15% of transgender survey respondents from Oklahoma "reported experiencing some form of housing discrimination, such as being evicted or denied housing, in the prior year because of their gender identity or expression."

In addition, 25% of respondents who visited a place of public accommodation in Oklahoma where employees knew or thought they were transgender reported experiencing some form of mistreatment, including denial of equal treatment or service, verbal harassment, or physical assault in the prior year, the study said.

Along with workforce discrimination, crime against members of the LGBTQ+ community is rising. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2022 Uniform Crime Report showed that while the number of violent crime incidents had dropped across the country, the number of hate crimes in the nation had increased.

"These reports involved 11,634 criminal incidents and 13,337 related offenses as being motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity," the report said. "In 2022, the top three bias categories in single-bias incidents were race/ethnicity/ancestry, religion, and sexual-orientation. The top bias types within those bias categories by volume of reported hate crime incidents is Anti-Black or African American for race/ethnicity/ancestry bias, Anti-Jewish for religious bias, and Anti-Gay (male) for sexual-orientation bias."

'We lost a member of our community': Hundreds mourn Nex Benedict's death at Oklahoma vigils

The group, America’s Health Rankings, part of the United Health Foundation, estimates the Oklahoma death rate for children ages 1-19 is 34.5 per 100,000, or 345 Oklahoma children, ranking the state 14th in the nation, the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth reported.

The commission also reported that high schoolers who are gay, lesbian or bisexual were about twice as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to say they were bullied at school and online.

Amid silence from many state lawmakers, vigils held across the nation for Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict

At the same time, people across the nation held candlelight vigils for Nex Benedict while many state leaders as of Monday afternoon remained silent.

Some, though, including Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and representatives of the LGBTQ+ community, have pushed back.

Monday afternoon Treat issued a rare, terse media statement, criticizing Woods' comments.

"Senator Woods and I have spoken and I made it clear that his remarks were reprehensible and inappropriate," Treat's statement said. "I am of the belief that all people are image-bearers of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect."

Treat said Woods' remarks "were not reflective in any way of myself, the Senate Republican caucus, Senate leadership or the Senate overall."

"In my opinion he had a serious lapse of judgement and it has distracted from the mission and good work we are attempting to advance on behalf of all Oklahomans," the Senate leader said.

Woods showed up at the Capitol on Monday and attended hearings. At one point there was talk that he would hold a news conference, but that never came off. By the end of the day, though, he issued a statement largely standing by his earlier comments, without using the word "filth."

"Firstly, I want to say that a child losing their life is horrible," Woods said in the statement. "They were a victim of bullying and that is never okay. It is always a tragedy when someone loses their life. I said that Friday and I mean that still today. I hope anyone struggling in a similar position gets the help they need as soon as possible.

More: Oklahoma's national embarrassment continues thanks to GOP lawmaker's bigotry | Editorial

"I also want to say that I stand behind what I believe in. The groups and individuals who push gender reassignment on children in our schools, and anyone else who is trying to normalize behavior that shouldn’t be tolerated, is unacceptable in my mind.

"This is an agenda that is being forced on Oklahoma kids. My voting record speaks for itself. I supported legislation to keep men out of women’s sports and to protect children from being mutilated by transition surgery before they can make an informed decision.

"I will continue to push for a day when kids can be kids again and be free from the pressure of conforming to radical ideologies."

The Senate's minority leader, Democrat Kay Floyd, issued a statement reminding Woods that words have power.

“As elected officials, we are held to a higher standard. Words have consequences, and this kind of conduct is unbecoming of an elected official," Floyd said. "It is our duty to represent and protect everyone, and not make things worse.”

Chuck Hoskin Jr., the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, condemned Woods' remarks in a statement. The Cherokee Nation is based in Tahlequah, an area Woods represents. He called on Woods to issue an apology that demonstrates a "clear understanding of the harm these words have caused to valued members of our community."

"Sadly, the LGBTQ+ community is too often targeted and marginalized by political leaders, the media and in our daily lives," Hoskin said. "That type of ignorance and prejudice, directly and indirectly, led to the death of a precious Owasso teen and jeopardizes the safety and lives of children and adults viewed as different."

Requests for comments from Stitt and Walters were not answered by press time Monday.

Dozens of anti-LGBTQ+ bills are up for consideration in the Oklahoma Legislature

Though some GOP lawmakers have condemned Woods, the Republican supermajority still has at least 54 pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation to review this year. Those bills include House Bill 3120 by Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, which would allow parents to exempt their children from learning material that doesn't align with their sexual, moral or religious beliefs; and Senate Bill 1880 by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, which would keep public school employees or volunteers from having to refer to a student by their preferred pronouns if they don't correspond with their sex assigned at birth.

Max, 28, a nonbinary resident whose pronouns are they and them, said they were disgusted but not surprised that a state senator could make such remarks without facing repercussions.

“Between everything Stitt has done, between everything Ryan Walters has done, between everything the government has done against queer people, they won’t censure (Woods),” Max said.

More: In Oklahoma's crowded field of new LGBTQ+ bills, here's a look at 5 drawing the most attention

Using Christianity to justify anti-gender-affirming policies and laws is wrong, they said. “Jesus said love everyone, not love your straight neighbor,” Max said.

Max spoke at a rally Monday morning outside Owasso High School, where about 100 people gathered demanding justice in the case of Nex Benedict, whose death has sparked widespread outrage. Nex Benedict was also part of the LGBTQ+ community and had been bullied in the past over their gender identity, family and friends have said.

Benedict died one day after an altercation at school with other students.

A few dozen current Owasso High students walked out to join the protest, erupting into cheers when a school bus driver honked as they drove by. One person led the crowd in call-and-response chants of, “What do we want?” “Justice!” “For who?” “Nex!”

When Stitt, Walters and other state officials say they are speaking on behalf of the people, events like the demonstration make clear they do not represent everyone’s best interests, Rolseth said.

Olivia Cotter, who uses the pronouns they/them, said they saw a direct link between anti-trans rhetoric and bullying that LGBTQ+ students face in schools. Cotter, of Oklahomans for Equality based in Tulsa, said they were relentlessly bullied over questions about their gender identity and sexuality in the 1990s. To find out such bullying still happens is heartbreaking, they said.

Children absorb the hateful messages the see in legislatures, churches and among adults, Cotter said.

“They are naturally going to pick up at least some of that,” Cotter said.

And though many Republican lawmakers — and party officials — have remained silent on Woods' statement, one member of the House GOP wasn't. Monday morning, state Rep. Mark McBride responded to Woods' comment about the LGBTQ+ community with a biblical quote.

"I will say one thing," McBride said. "John 3:17. I sent my Son to save, not to condemn."

Contributing: Molly Young and Murray Evans, The Oklahoman

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Tom Woods' 'filth' comment latest in Oklahoma's anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric