Tag: New York City Council

More Sexism from NYC City Councilman Peter Koo: “An angry mom can’t accomplish much.”

New York City Councilman Peter Koo

I’ve been watching the Democratic primary race for New York City Council’s District 20 with interest since I posted two weeks ago about some alarmingly sexist lines of attack used by incumbent City Councilman Peter Koo against challenger Alison Tan at a public debate. In that post, I lamented the distraction caused by the mudslinging between Koo and Tan that was focusing attention away from the important issues facing voters in Flushing and surrounding neighbourhoods.

So, it was with dismay that I learned today that Koo had redoubled his sexist attacks on Tan in an interview with the TimesLedger, where Koo broadens his disdain to — apparently — all “angry moms” whom Koo says “can’t accomplish much”.

This, as they say, just got personal. Koo just lobbed a broad insult against all politically-active women and mothers.

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Flushing City Councilmember Peter Koo Deploys Sexist Attacks Against Challenger Alison Tan in Debate

Councilmember Peter Koo (left) and Queens Community Board 7 Member Alison Tan (right) as they make their introductory remarks at the APA Voices District 20 Candidate’s Forum on August 20th. (Photo credit: AAARI-CUNY / YouTube)

On September 12th, New York City’s registered Democrats will head to the polls for the Democratic primaries, and voters living in the city’s 20th City Council district – which includes downtown Flushing, Murray Hill, and Queensboro Hill – will be faced with a choice for the first time in eight years between two-term incumbent City Councilmember Peter Koo and challenger, Alison Tan. This race is of particular interest to Asian American New Yorkers: not only are more than 60% of District 20’s constituency Asian American, but issues within the purview of City Council – such as affordable housing, urban development, and public transportation – are of specific relevance to Flushing residents.

The contest between Koo and Tan has turned decidedly acrimonious in recent months: both candidates have drawn clear distinctions between one another with regard to policy, but the contest has also gotten deeply personal from both sides. Last week at a Candidate’s Forum organized by a coalition of New York-area Asian American groups, the personal attacks took a viciously sexist undertone as Councilmember Koo deployed both implied and overt assaults on Tan’s identity as a working woman, mother, and aspiring female politician.

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