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Trans politician Elisa Crespo uses ‘faceless coward’s’ smear campaign to make important point

Twitter Elisa Crespo pamphlet NYC council

(Twitter/Elisa Crespo)

New York Democrat Elisa Crespo has blasted a “faceless coward” for running a smear campaign over her sex worker past.

Crespo is a Democrat running to become the first trans member of the New York City council. She has previously been targeted by a New York Post “hatchet piece” on her past as a sex worker, and is now facing another smear campaign as an unidentified actor distributes rudimentary print-outs of the article.

Crespo tweeted a photo of a flier that included two images of her with her face crossed out in red, a logo from the New York Post and words written in both English and Spanish.

Quoting the Post’s article, it read: “An ex-prostitute who was busted in a police sting is running to become the first trans woman on the City Council – representing the heart of the Bronx.”

Crespo slammed the pamphlet on Twitter, saying “this is what happens when people feel threatened”. She called the individual who made and circulated the flier a “faceless coward”.

“This type of politics is reprehensible [and] contributes to violence against trans [people],” Elisa Crespo wrote on Twitter. “These people believe our stories [and] identity don’t matter. The Bronx deserves better.”

In a later tweet, she implored people who “stand against this hate and believe this is wrong” to “hit the ground with us today”. The polls for the Bronx 15th Council Districts special election opened on Tuesday (16 March).

“Politics isn’t just for hateful, self-loathing, entitled, power-hungry individuals who can’t win in their own merit,” Crespo said.

Elisa Crespo is running for the seat vacated by Ritchie Torres, who became the first openly gay Afro-Latino congressman in November. If elected, Crespo would become New York‘s first openly trans city council member.

After she announced her candidacy, the New York Post ran a derogatory “hatchet piece” about Crespo and her history as a sex worker, the first line of which is featured on the pamphlet that Crespo tweeted about on Tuesday (23 March).

Crespo has been open about her time in the sex industry and how her experience influenced her outlook on politics and her career.

Chi Osse, a candidate for New York City council district 36, wrote on Twitter that the flier proved “cowards fear greatness”. He added that Elisa Crespo is “going to make history”, and these “milksops know it”.

The LGBTQ Victory fund also showed its support for Crespo on Twitter. The political organisation wrote: “When they go low, we fight back.

“Sending you our best wishes in today’s special election, [Elisa Claspo]. The city council has never had a voice like yours, and it’s about damn time.”

 

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