PRESS RELEASE: Rep. Rachel Jones argues for revoking the voting rights of non-binary and gender non-conforming Arizonans

Rep. Analise Ortiz And Human Rights Campaign Release the Following Statement:

PHOENIX - In a social media post, Rep. Rachel Jones, Republican legislator from Legislative District 17, argued that nonbinary and other gender-nonconforming people should be stripped of their right to vote. The social media post quoted the Arizona constitution, and misrepresented sex and gender, in a blatant attack on the LGBTQ+ community.

“This is a pattern of extremist behaviors by my colleagues, who have demonstrated over and over again that they’re willing to tear down the LGBTQ+ community to cater to the fringe part of their base,” said Rep. Analise Ortiz. “Make no mistake: continued efforts to attack the LGBTQ+ community will be vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, but the impact and harm caused by this rhetoric  is very real.”

“Casually pushing a message that promotes stripping people of the right to vote and making them out to be ‘less than’ is dangerous.” said Bridget Sharpe, Arizona State Director for the Human Rights Campaign. “It is especially reckless for an Arizona State Representative, whose job it is to serve all she represents, to use her platform to promote discrimination. Statements like these have led to violence against trans and gender non-conforming people before and Rep. Jones sharing them only puts our most vulnerable more at risk.”