Bayside Candidates Report Sexism From Several Male Opponents

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — A Bayside City Council candidate was criticized by the neighborhood’s congresswoman, and other local politicians, for writing a sexist attack against another candidate — one of several misogynistic incidents in the District 23 City Council race.

On Monday, Steve Behar claimed that he is “the ONLY education candidate in the race,” after receiving an endorsement by the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA). In response, Tammy Osherov pointed out that the CSA endorsed Debra Markell alongside him, and that Linda Lee, another District 23 candidate, is endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers.

“I’m running on my record. 2600 new school seats is better than “Vote For Me I’m a Mommy”!” tweeted Steve Behar in response to the pushback, reducing Lee’s platform to her role as a mother.

Behar’s mention of adding school seats to the district is an accomplishment that Council Member Barry Grodenchik has claimed as his own in the past. Behar worked with Grodenchik closely, first as a campaign manager and then as counsel.

“Do NOT ever underestimate a MOMMY”

Although Behar quickly amended the language of his tweet to remove the sexist comment about Lee, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), who has endorsed Lee, shared a screenshot of it publicly.

Meng said that she considers Behar a “friend” and “appreciates his efforts in helping Barry Grodenchik support our schools,” but told him “do NOT ever underestimate a MOMMY.”

And it wasn’t just Meng who got involved. Queens Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz said she was “very disappointed” with the tweet, adding “this isn’t the way to fight for your community.”

Mark Weprin, who formerly represented District 23 in City Council, described the tweet as “ill advised” adding that in his experience moms are “the best judges on what’s best for our school[s].”

A spokesperson from the Lee campaign told Patch in a statement that the tweet was “upsetting, since Linda has worked her entire life to be defined by her accomplishments and not her gender,” citing her role as a non-profit executive and community leader.

“Linda is proud to be a mother to her two boys and was disappointed that Mr. Behar decided to attack her for that. He clearly understood he was in the wrong as he eventually deleted his tweet, but has yet to apologize to Linda, mothers, parents, or women at large,” the spokesperson concluded.

In a Tuesday statement to the New York Daily News Behar said: “On Monday, the Linda Lee campaign attacked my decades-long record on education. I responded by citing my record, but I was clearly too harsh in my response ... I certainly never meant to offend anyone.”

On Wednesday Lee clapped back, tweeting that her campaign “never addressed, much less ‘attacked,’ Steve Behar’s misleading endorsement announcement,” alluding to the fact that Osherov — who originally called out Behar — is not a member of the Lee campaign.

Osherov herself shared Lee’s response, adding that she is “very disappointed in Behar,” adding, “I have never attacked Behar's record or campaign and only discussed endorsements.”

The Daily News pointed out that this is not the first time Behar has acted in a way that could be perceived as demeaning to women.

The newspaper reported that after Grodenchik admitted to sexually harassing a female Council staffer in 2019, Behar suggested that Grodenchik’s admission of guilt was false in 2020.

Then, at a recent forum Behar said he “witnessed in the City Hall…. the politicization of sexual harassment, which I thought was totally despicable,” adding that he would work to reform the committee that oversaw the investigation into Grodenchik, reported the Daily News.

According to the Daily News, Behard declined to comment about his remarks in either situation.

"Rampant misogyny" in the District 23 City Council race

Another person who expressed solidarity with Lee is Jaslin Kaur, who is also running for City Council in District 23.

“There are several "mommies" who work incredibly hard in our district, but they can never be reduced to just one identity,” she commented on Meng’s tweet. “It's disgraceful to mischaracterize your fellow candidate like that.”

The next day Kaur came forward with her own statement about the “rampant misogyny and intimidation” that she’s faced in the City Council race.

In the statement Kaur said that her “fellow Punjabi candidates [Sanjeev] Jindal and Harpreet Singh Toor have waged a full-on misogynistic campaign of intimidation against me, my neighbors, and my supporters.”

She cited incidents in which her opponents demanded that supporters take down her campaign yard signs, and that the two men have lied to voters that she dropped out of the race.

Also, Kaur said that Jindal pressured religious leaders to cancel a planned free food service event with her campaign — which was the tipping point for her.

“I can no longer fulfill my opponents’ expectation that South Asian women be quiet, subservient, and compliant,” she concluded.

Dozens of people have shared Kaur’s statement, including city council candidates and local politicians across Queens.