Cynthia Nixon is using an old homophobic slogan with a difference for her election campaign

Cynthia Nixon's bid to become the Governor of New York has already spawned some quotable slogans.

It's been just weeks since she repurposed the 'unqualified lesbian' insult levelled at her by past losing candidate Christine Quinn, but now she's back with a more personal dig at rival Andrew Cuomo:

'Vote for the homo, not for Cuomo.'

Although it may initially seem like nothing more than a catchy rhyming couplet, the phrase is actually in reference to a series of homophobic posters plastered across the streets of New York back in 1977 by Cuomo's father, Mario.

They read: "Vote for the Cuomo, not the homo" - a clear reference to rumours surrounding the sexuality of rival candidate Ed Koch, who succeeded in hs gubernatorial bid.

Both Mario and his son - rumoured to be involved in his dad's mayoral campaign - denied culpability.

Contextually, the 1970s are often cited as a landmark decade for LGBT+ rights in America. The 1969 Stonewall riots mobilised a Gay Liberation Movement, whereas the tragic AIDs crisis of the 1980s was yet to arrive. Unsurprisingly, the gradually growing visibility of LGBT+ people sparked increased homophobia, as Cuomo's slogan demonstrates.

Unveiling the slogan at a recent address, Nixon said that she was inspired by the Governor's political past:

Andrew Cuomo is known for dirty politics, but I have to give credit where it's due.

His history of cutthroat campaigns helped inspire my campaign's new slogan.

Nixon seems to have no problem unveiling past political corruption and aiming to remedy its consequences. Alongside promising to improve New York's subway system, she has pledged to reform marijuana law and, yesterday, announced that black citizens would be prioritised for marijuana licences as a form of 'reparation'.

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