Hi John xxxxxx,

We wanted to draw your attention to a disturbing incident that recently happened in the Colorado state legislature.

It has come to our attention that earlier this year, as Colorado state Representative, Yara Zokaie was waiting to address the chamber before a final vote on one of her bills, her Republican colleague, Rep. Ryan Armagost snapped a photo of her without her knowledge or permission.

According to Colorado Public Radio, he immediately posted the image in a group chat with the rest of the Republican House caucus, where several lawmakers made comments about her outfit, “comparing her to a prostitute and stripper.”

At the time, Ryan Armagost was serving as chair of the House Workplace Harassment Committee.

Keep reading. It gets worse.

At Her Bold Move, we have heard too many stories like this one. In fact, it’s the very reason we exist. Join our effort to support women candidates as they contend with far too many obstacles, including harassment, by chipping in TODAY.

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Within an hour, the photo ended up on an “anonymous social media account with conservative followers.” It was posted a second time with the caption “Smash or Pass,” and the photo has continued to circulate online.

“The messages very quickly escalated from name-calling and vulgar remarks about my appearance and what people wanted to do to me, to threats against my family, my children, death threats, rape threats,” Zokaie told CPR News. “Things got to a point where my staff needed to rotate who would check our messages because it was traumatizing to hear some of the things that people were saying.”

Zokaie said the level of harassment she’s experienced from the photograph isn’t something anyone should have to put up with just because they want to serve their community. It led her to take safety precautions and request security for her home and at her son’s elementary school after someone sent a threat about the school.

We want to make something very clear.

Women who run for office have to deal with significantly more abuse than their male counterparts. This is the very reason we named our organization HER BOLD MOVE. Because we saw the bravery and boldness required of a woman who steps up to lead.

People respond to our emails on a regular basis, asking why we only offer support for women candidates. The answer is simple: it can often be dangerous for a woman to run for office – and the women who do it anyway are heroes. But if women candidates are not properly supported, fewer of them will run for office and, consequently, fewer women will be in the rooms where decisions are made.

Our work is CRITICAL. Women need and deserve support – because women constituents need and deserve adequate representation. THAT is what we are fighting for each and every day at HER BOLD MOVE. We hope you’ll join us.

If you are as angry as we are about this story, you can join our effort to support women in government by chipping in $20.25 or more today.

We offer tailored support to pro-choice, pro-WOMEN women candidates, and that work is as important as it’s ever been.

Together,

Colleen Davis
Endorsements Manager
Her Bold Move