Oklahoma City, OK — Oklahoma City attorney Brittany Novotny has become the first known openly transgender candidate to run for office in Oklahoma.
Novotny, a Democrat, filed on Tuesday to run against Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City) for State Representative in House District 84.
A staunch Christian, Kern made national headlines in 2008 when she said in a speech to about 50 Republicans that "not everybody's lifestyle is equal, just like not all religions are equal" and that she believes gays are an even bigger threat than "terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat."
Kern also accused homosexuals of pushing a "gay agenda" and trying to "indoctrinate" children as young as 2-years-old through tolerance education and gay-straight alliances. "This stuff—it's deadly," Kern said, "and it's spreading, and it will destroy our young people. It will destroy this nation."
Novotny said Kern has pushed her own agenda instead of focusing on issues important to her district.
"For six years, we've had someone who has not represented her district, has been ineffective on problems and is bad for business," Novotny said in a press release.