After a legislative session marked by some of the most restrictive LGBTQ laws in the country, candidates in House District 88 are seeking to preserve the already limited LGBTQ representation in the Oklahoma Legislature. Whoever wins will replace the first nonbinary state legislator, Rep. Mauree Turner.
Three candidates are competing in the June 18 democratic primary: Nicole Maldonado, a queer Latina and Turner’s legislative assistant; Paula Sophia Schonauer, a trans woman, former police officer, and director of counseling at Oklahoma City University; and Ellen Pogemiller, a lobbyist for the Oklahoma Education Association.
As of June 10, Pogemiller’s campaign had raised over $58,000, outpacing Maldonado’s, which raised over $17,000 and Schonauer’s, which raised nearly $13,000.
The winner of the primary and any potential run-off would face independent candidate Bobby McCollum, who spent his career in finance and worked for the State of Oklahoma before retiring.
LGBTQ candidates say their voices matter
Turner, elected in 2020 and the only Muslim in the Legislature, announced in April that they would not seek a third term.
Over their two terms as a representative, Turner was vocal about the challenges they faced as a nonbinary lawmaker at the Capitol. In May, Turner raised concerns about the consequences of the Women’s Bill of Rights, which they said endangered the lives of trans and nonbinary Oklahomans without codifying actual rights for Oklahoman women.
“What is the point of folks being seen by me, of me being visible, when you use that visibility to target and harm and to attempt to erase me and my community?” Turner said during debate.
Turner made one of the 17 no votes in the House. The bill ultimately was signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt, but Turner said they recognized the importance of being a voice for the LGBTQ community.
“I am deeply honored to be able to work in this body on behalf of the people in House District 88 and the people who are represented by this seat well beyond physical bounds,” Turner said at the end of their comments during the floor debate.
Emily Stacey, a professor of political science at Rose State University, said even small representation can have a meaningful impact and provide a layer of protection for marginalized, underrepresented and underserved communities.
The American Civil Liberties Union identified 55 anti-LGBTQ bills in the latest legislative session, the most of any state. Even proposing such bills can have a significant impact on the mental health of LGBTQ individuals, according to The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ advocacy group, and a Washington Post analysis found that states with more legislation targeting LGTBQ people, including Oklahoma, have seen higher rates of hate crimes against LGBTQ students.
Stacey said diverse legislatures tend to pass fewer harmful bills.
“When you have more of these groups, you can have more of those substantive conversations and hopefully pass legislation that is more inclusive, that is less discriminatory, that is less likely to be challenged in the Supreme Court,” Stacey said.
Stacey said that promoting diverse candidates can also increase participation in Oklahoma politics. In 2022, only 40% of eligible Oklahoma voters cast a ballot, below the national average of 48%, according to MIT Election data.
“Politics in the state of Oklahoma tends to be a spectator sport,” Stacey said. “That’s dangerous for democracy. So even if they don’t win, these more diverse candidates— from either side of the aisle— just showing up provides that much more healthy competition.”
House District 88 is a small chunk of Oklahoma City, northwest of downtown. Nearly a quarter of residents are Hispanic, double the rate of the state. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1, according to Oklahoma Election Board data.
Justin Sprouse, a Democrat who has lived in House District 88 for five years, said he wanted to vote for a candidate who would bridge political divisions for policy advancements.
“Diversity is very important in this district,” Sprouse said. “But there are certain things we need to reach across the aisle on. I want someone with experience and who can build those relationships.”
What the Candidates Say About Representation
Following implementation of the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” Schonauer, a transgender woman, would be required to use the men’s bathroom at the Capitol.
“If they want me in there, they’ll have to deal with me,” Schonauer said. “If they want to share a restroom with me while I put on makeup, then OK. I’ll definitely be uncomfortable, but they will be too. They’re going to reap the result of what they’ve proposed.”
When the bill passed, Schonauer said it felt debilitating, but expected.
“I knew in 2022, as soon as the Dobbs decision came down, that the next big issue was going to be about trans people,” Schonauer said. “They (lawmakers) were going to target us with more fervor than ever.”
“But it still hurts,” Schonauer said. “You might know that if you put your hand in the fire, it’s gonna burn. Just because you know that ahead of time, it’s not going to hurt any less if you do it.”
While she doubted the legislature would make substantial changes to existing policy, Schonauer said she believed it was important to maintain gender-diverse representation at the Capitol. She said she was frustrated with the limited opportunities for community members to get involved with the legislative process.
“There are limited public comments or public responses when proposing legislation,” Schonauer said. “It makes it very difficult for someone from the LGBTQ community to go into the Capitol and advocate for our community when they’re limiting public comment so much.”
Pogemiller also said she was committed to highlighting the issues and voices of people often left out of the lawmaking process: in the 59th session, just 19 of the 101 representatives in the House were female, and Pogemiller said she would advocate for women’s issues including reproductive health care.
She noted that although she is not a member of the LGBTQ community, Pogemiller said she would provide much-needed representation as an Oklahoma City Public School parent.
“Education is 50% of our budget,” Pogemiller said. “When I go to the Capitol and legislators say OKCPS is part of the problem, I’m like, ‘I’m an OKCPS parent. Who do you think we are?’”
She said incorporating several viewpoints and challenging stereotypes was crucial for creating quality legislation.
Maldonado, who is not only a queer Latina but one of few Gen Z candidates, also stressed the importance of challenging stereotypes. She said she hopes her candidacy will inspire other young women, Latinas or members of the LGBTQ community to run and highlight issues not often discussed in Oklahoma politics.
Maldonado said it was important for lawmakers to have hard conversations about the actual lived experiences of many Oklahomans.
“We have tons of allies,” Maldonado said. “But at some point, we need to start electing the people that are struggling with these issues. We don’t see a working-class person there, we don’t see a person that has been struggling with poverty, and it can completely change the perspective.”
Although she recognized the small Democratic caucus and limited LGBTQ representation may not produce all the policy outcomes she would like to see, Maldonado said simply giving LGBTQ Oklahomans an advocate in the legislature would be “a huge win.”
“So many people just wake up every day and stay in Oklahoma just because they have Turner fighting for them,” Maldonado said. “That’s bringing them hope, and that’s the messaging I want to give. It’s our home, our state, and we don’t have to leave.”
Jessica Pearce is a 2024 summer intern at Oklahoma Watch covering general assignments. Contact her at jpearce@oklahomawatch.org.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
