WATCH: ‘Biased’ LGBTQ Forum Question for Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren Goes Viral, Not in a Good Way

Tommy ChristopherSep 21st, 2019, 11:09 am
 

California Senator Kamala Harris and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren were asked nearly identical questions at an LGBTQ forum, but many people noticed a not-so-subtle difference in the way the question was asked of Harris, compared to how it was put to Warren.

On Friday, Democratic candidates participated in an LGBTQ forum in Iowa, moderated in part by Cedar Rapids Gazette columnist Lyz Lenz. Her first question to Senator Harris was about a case in which, as attorney general of California, she defended the state corrections department against a lawsuit seeking gender reassignment surgery for a transgender woman inmate named Michelle-Lael Norsworthy.

“During your time as attorney general in California, you did send a brief seeking to deny gender-affirmation surgery for trans inmates,” Lenz said, adding “You stated that at the time you were just enforcing the existing law.:

“But with this history, the question is, how can trans people trust you will advocate for them, and not just enforce discriminatory laws?” Lenz asked.

Harris responded by noting the support she has received from LGBTQ organizations in her home state, and said “When that case came up, it was because as attorney general, I had clients, and one of them was the California Department of Corrections, and it was their policy. When I learned about what they were doing, behind the scenes, I got them to change the policy.”

Then, at the conclusion of Harris’ answer, Lenz cut her off.

But when Lenz brought up an arguably more damaging stance on the same issue with Elizabeth Warren, it wasn’t framed as a matter of trust, or even as something for which Warren should answer.

“In 2012, you wrote that you did not support gender-affirming surgery for trans inmates,” Lenz said — to a “Yeah” from Warren — then added “In January of this year, you reversed your opinion and said you had changed on this issue.”

But instead of asking Warren how she could be trusted on an issue that she just got right on (checks notes) 8 months ago, Lenz said Warren’s change “is great,” then asked “So you just said we have to get everybody on board, how do we even do that?”

“So, the way I think about this, and America, equal means equal,” Warren said, but did not address her prior comments in the remainder of her answer.

That discrepancy in questioning did not go unnoticed, and a video of the two questions went viral following the forum.

Politico’s Christopher Cadelago noted the discrepancy, calling it “interesting.”

But others were more direct, calling Lenz out for “clear bias” treatment of Harris.

Twitter-famous Harris supporter Chris Evans (no relation to Captain America) didn’t mince words.

And there’s no way to be sure, but it certainly seems possible that Meena Harris — Senator Harris’ niece — was subtweeting the incident when she wrote, several hours later, “Look forward to seeing a black trans woman moderate the next #LGBTQforum…because that’s happening, right?”

Watch both clips above, via Logo.

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