CD1 candidate Allen Waters declines public forum invitation due to his anti-trans bigotry

He could have just politely declined the invitation...

Allen Waters is running as a Democrat for the first Congressional Seat recently vacated by David Cicilline. Waters lost a bid to unseat Representative Cicilline in 2022 when he ran as a Republican.

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See my other Congressional District One race interviews here:

• Walter Berbrick

• Sandra Cano

• Aaron Regunberg

• Stephanie Beauté

• Gabe Amo

• Ana Quezada

• Don Carlson

• John Goncalves

• Sabina Matos

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See my other articles on the Congressional District One race interviews here:

• CD1 candidate Allen Waters declines public forum invitation due to his anti-trans bigotry

• Sabina Matos breaks silence on nomination signature collection scandal

• Full coverage: Democratic Women's Caucus holds CD 1 candidate forum

• Local addiction, recovery, and harm reduction organizations host RI-CD1 candidate forum

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Waters is one of 15 or so candidates who have so far expressed an interest in being Rhode Island’s next Congressperson, and as such was invited by the Rhode Island Democratic Women's Caucus to participate in a forum scheduled for July 24th. In response to the invitation, Waters issued a public response in the form of a press release that included a bizarre personal attack against the Reverend Donnie Anderson in particular and members of the transgender community in general.

“Per your invitation below, I respectfully decline to participate in the Rhode Island Democratic Women's Caucus Candidate's Forum on July 24th. I do not recognize Reverend Donnie Anderson, a biological male, as a woman in the Democratic Party, and therefore, do not want to be moderated by him as a Democratic woman. As a dedicated father of two beloved, black teenage daughters, I do not want biological males to compete with them as women in traditional biological female spaces.

“I appreciate your request for me to appear.”

Reverend Anderson responded:

“This morning the Rhode Island Democratic Women’s Caucus extended an invitation to every declared candidate in the Democratic Primary for the open seat in District One to participate in a candidates’ forum. One of the candidates chose to respond in a very public and personal way. Allen Waters declined our invitation and chose to release his response to the press. On behalf of the caucus, I am disappointed that Mr. Waters is passing on this opportunity to express his views on issues critical to women in Rhode Island, but this is certainly his prerogative.

“Mr. Waters went beyond declining the invitation to participate in our forum, however. He intentionally chose to engage in a personal attack on my humanity. I am deeply saddened by Mr. Waters misinformed and cruel comments that exhibit his perspective on the transgender community. It is comments like his that are devastating our youth that identify as transgender and non-binary. 

“I am also curious in what sense Mr. Waters considers himself a democrat. The leadership of the Democratic Party, beginning with President Biden, clearly supports the transgender community and treats our community with the respect that every human being deserves. 

“I accept Mr. Waters decision to not participate in the forum, but personally call on him to recant his statement as it relates to me personally and the transgender community as a whole, accept responsibility for the damage his statement has already caused and to apologize to the entire transgender community.”

I’ve reached out to CD1 candidates to conduct substantive interviews. In light of his bigotry, I have informed his campaign that I will not be interviewing Allen Waters.