Oklahoma lawmaker who identifies as nonbinary slams governor for saying 'there's no such thing'

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An Oklahoma state representative who identifies as nonbinary slammed Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt after he said "there is no such thing as non-binary sex," arguing its difficult to work with someone who opposes "your existence." 

"If you have to work with people who adamantly oppose your existence, right, to the point to where we can't work together, you can't talk to me, you can't talk to me like I'm a human being, you don't see me, that damages anyone’s working relationship," Democratic State Rep. Mauree Turner said, Fox 25 reported. 

Her remarks came after a legal settlement in the state when the Oklahoma State Department of Health began allowing residents to designate themselves as non-binary on their birth certificates.

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Stitt slammed the decision as one that was not made with "proper approval or oversight," adding that he believes God created males and females. 

(Chris Kleponis/Polaris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Oklahoma State Legislature)

"I believe that people are created by God to be male or female. Period," Stitt said in a statement Thursday. "There is no such thing as non-binary sex and I wholeheartedly condemn the purported OSDH court settlement that was entered into by rogue activists who acted without receiving proper approval or oversight."

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"I will be taking whatever action necessary to protect Oklahoma values and our way of life," he continued. 

Turner is Oklahoma’s first lawmaker to identify as nonbinary. 

FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2020, file photo, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt delivers his State of the State address in Oklahoma City. A federal appeals court upheld a lower-court order Monday, April 13, that overturned the governor's ban on abortions during the coronavirus outbreak emergency. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)

"To be able to have that autonomy and have that part, that real intimate part of you really kind of recognized in a big way is really, really important in more ways than one," Turner continued. 

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"If we are continuously saying like, 'You're not real, you have to suppress that part of you,' what is that going to do to our community?" Asked Turner. "What's that going to do to our kids."