New Oklahoma PAC will fight influx of anti-trans legislation

But she said she couldn’t stand on the sidelines after Oklahoma legislators filed, by her count, 22 anti-transgender bills this year.

Novotny, a Waurika attorney who is transgender, is forming a new Oklahoma political action committee to fight the influx of anti-transgender legislation at the state Capitol.

She’s hopeful that her Securing Liberty PAC can advocate on behalf of transgender Oklahomans in a way that resonates with the GOP majority in the state Legislature.

Anti-transgender bills run counter to the Republican principle of limited government, Novotny said.

Proposed bills that would limit gender-affirming care for LGBTQ residents or ban drag shows set a precedent for big government to interfere in any Oklahoman’s life, she said.

“We’re not going to beat these bills by rehashing the same far-left rhetoric and playing victim,” she said. “We’re going to defeat these bills by finding common ground with Republicans in the Legislature and helping them to see this isn’t necessarily the winning issue they think it is.”

Novotny made a name for herself in Oklahoma politics when in 2010 she ran as a Democrat against former Rep. Sally Kern, who became nationally known after she said homosexuality was a greater threat to America than terrorism.

Republican lawmakers filed numerous bills this year to block children and some adults from receiving gender-affirming care that includes puberty blockers, cross-sex hormone therapies and gender-reassignment surgeries.

There are also several bills targeting drag performances, including one that says drag performers or drag show organizers could face up to two years in prison and $20,000 in fines if the event occurs on public property or in a place where it could be viewed by children.

Gov. Kevin Stitt has called for a statewide ban on gender transition surgeries and therapies for minors. Numerous Republicans have also said they want to ensure that no taxpayer dollars are used to fund gender-affirming care.

Transgender Oklahomans just want to be left alone, Novotny said.

“Unfortunately, in the last year or so, the attacks by the Legislature on trans issues started coming fast,” she said. “We went from being a group of people that no one thought twice about to being the target of extremist legislation.”

Last year, Stitt signed bills to prevent transgender athletes from participating in female sports and to require students to use the school restroom that corresponds to the gender on their birth certificate.

Securing Liberty began fundraising on Monday. The group will be required to file a public notice with the state Ethics Commission within 10 days of raising $1,000.

Novotny said her top priority is to commission polling on transgender issues in key GOP legislative districts because she expects that the subject is not top of mind for most voters. The PAC may also send out mailers in some districts to inform voters that their legislators are targeting transgender Oklahomans, she said.

Novotny also hopes to encourage more transgender Oklahomans to meet with their legislators.

Political consultant Kris Masterman said he and Novotny have discussed for months the idea of creating a PAC devoted to transgender issues.

Masterman said he has several transgender friends and that he’s concerned about the rise in anti-transgender legislation that is becoming a trend in red states across the country.

“I’m close to this issue, and I think it’s important for Republicans to speak out,” he said. A registered Republican, Masterman used to be a leader in the Oklahoma Democratic Party but said he switched his political affiliations after he felt alienated by the party.

Oklahomans for Equality in Tulsa and Freedom Oklahoma in Oklahoma City also advocate for LGBTQ Oklahomans.

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