A Republican state senator in Oklahoma isn't backing down after he referred to certain people pushing the LGBTQ+ agenda as "filth" and infuriated many.

Sen. Tom Woods (R) was speaking at a legislative forum sponsored by the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce when he made the comments. He was referring to the death of Nex Benedict, a transgender student at an Oklahoma high school.

"My heart goes out to that scenario, if that is the case," he said in the recording. "But we represent a constituency. We are a Republican state – supermajority – in the House and Senate. I represent a constituency that doesn't want that filth in Oklahoma."

Some applause can be heard in the audio of the incident.

"You know we are a religious state and we are going to fight it to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state – we are a moral state," he added. "We are a Republican state. I'm going to vote my district. I'm going to vote my values. And we don't want that in the state of Oklahoma."

Liberals and LGBTQ+ advocates pounced on the comments to accuse Woods and other Republicans of using rhetoric that led to the death of Benedict. Contrary to the media and liberal narrative, police indicated that the transgender student did not pass away directly because of a bathroom fight at the school.

"That shouldn’t be tolerated, is unacceptable"

Several Republicans condemned the comments from Woods.

"I am of the belief that all people are image-bearers of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. His remarks were not in any way reflective of myself, the Senate Republican caucus, Senate leadership or the Senate overall. In my opinion, he had a serious lapse of judgment," said Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat.

"We should rise above spewing hate and legislating condemnation for every citizen who does not look like us, vote like us worship like us or identify or love like us," said State Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn.

Woods did not back down and reiterated his comments.

"I stand behind what I believe in. The groups and individuals who push gender reassignment on children in our schools, and anyone else who is trying to normalize behavior that shouldn’t be tolerated, is unacceptable in my mind," Woods said in a statement to KOCO-TV.

Here's a news report about the incident:

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