Anti-Circumcision Candidate Qualifies For Democratic Debates
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Presidential candidate Andrew Yang, who recently revealed he is against circumcision, has met both the poll and donor requirements to qualify for the Democratic debates, The New York Times reported.
Yang confirmed in March that if he were elected, he would work his views on circumcision —the practice of cutting a newborn’s foreskin, which is often done for religious purposes — into public policy. He might be the first ever presidential candidate to take a public stance on the issue.
“I’m highly aligned with the intactivists,” Yang told The Daily Beast, referring to those who choose to keep penises intact. “History will prove them even more correct.”
Yang’s views against circumcision has not deterred him from moving forth in the race. He, along with 8 other candidates (including Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren), met both the poll and donor requirements necessary to take part in the debate. That means he had to receive donations from 65,000 people or register 1% support in three polls, according to the Times. Eight other candidates, including Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand, have met the poll requirement.
The first Democratic presidential debate will be broken up into two nights, June 26 and 27, with candidates divided into two groups at random, the Times reported.
Alyssa Fisher is a writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
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