Cynthia Nixon's Response To Being Called An 'Unqualified Lesbian' Will Make Your Day

Honestly, somebody just move this woman straight to the Oval Office. Cynthia Nixon — current New York gubernatorial candidate running against incumbent Andrew Cuomo, proud openly gay woman and longtime advocate for public education, marriage equality, and LGBTQ+ and women’s reproductive rights (not to mention the redheaded boss on Sex and the City who made us all want to be Mirandas even when we thought we should be Carries) — just responded to an insult in the best possible way.

“When I announced yesterday that I’m running for gov, one of Cuomo’s top surrogates dismissed me as an ‘unqualified lesbian,'” Nixon wrote on Twitter. “It’s true that I never received my certificate from the Department of Lesbian Affairs, though in my defense there’s a lot of paperwork required.” She closed the epic retort the way only the classiest, sassiest of Mirandas could — with a redheaded shrugging emoji, of course.

“When I announced yesterday that I’m running for gov, one of Cuomo’s top surrogates dismissed me as an “unqualified lesbian.” It’s true that I never received my certificate from the Department of Lesbian Affairs, though in my defense there’s a lot of paperwork required.”

— Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) March 21, 2018

Former Speaker of the New York City Council, Christine Quinn — who is, curiously considering the ignorance of her comment, also a gay woman — referred to Nixon as an “unqualified lesbian” in an interview with the New York Post. “Cynthia Nixon was opposed to having a qualified lesbian become mayor of New York City. Now she wants an unqualified lesbian to be the governor of New York. You have to be qualified and have experience. She isn’t qualified to be the governor,” Quinn said. Clearly, Quinn meant “unqualified” in the political arena but the phrasing — in addition to the sentiment — was just… wrong. (A little context here: back in 2013, Nixon endorsed Bill DeBlasio over Quinn in the NYC mayoral race, and it seems Quinn still has some... feelings about that.)

Before sharing her cutting response in 280 characters or less, Nixon first nodded to the shade at a campaign rally at New York City’s iconic LGBTQ+ landmark, the Stonewall Inn. When giving the event’s opening remarks, she said: “Welcome, unqualified lesbians, and qualified ones too! Welcome to the trans community, welcome to queer people of every stripe, and our beautiful straight allies.”

In her speech, she went on to say: “We have to mix things up, we have to upend the status quo, we have to fight back and we have to speak truth in a way that not everybody likes. Yesterday, when I announced my candidacy, one of Gov. Cuomo’s top surrogates dismissed me as an ‘unqualified lesbian.’ I just want to say tonight that she was technically right. I don’t have my certificate from the Department of Lesbian Affairs. But in my defense, there is a lot of paperwork involved.”

Point: Nixon.