Nebraska state senator accused of ethics violation for opposing bill because she has a trans son

Nebraska state senator Megan Hunt

This story speaks to my post from last night. The Republican Party think that they have a winning issue by attacking the trans community. The problem is the strident way they are going after trans Americans and their families is turning off a lot of voters. More than that, it is scaring them.

From the online publication Jezebel:

An Omaha lawyer has filed an ethics complaint against Nebraska State Sen. Megan Hunt (D), accusing her of financially benefiting from her own filibuster of the state’s anti-trans bill because she has a trans son. Omaha lawyer David Begley filed a complaint with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Office, Hunt announced from the legislative floor on Wednesday (to a few groans).

LGBTQNation breaks it down further:

State law requires that public officials and employees disclose potential conflicts of interest, but this refers to when a decision could have “a financial benefit or detriment to the public official or public employee, a member of his or her immediate family or business with which he or she is associated.” 

Begley, in his complaint, argued that Hunt would have “a slightly more than average chance” of getting the state’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming care for her son if L.B. 574 isn’t passed, even though Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services bans Medicaid funds from being used for gender-affirming care. 

“In order to fully transition, Senator Hunt’s child would need medical services,” Begley wrote. 

 “This, colleagues, is not serious,”  (Hunt) said. “This is harassment. This is using the legal system that we have in our state to stop corruption, to increase transparency, to hold government accountable, and using it to harass a member of the legislature, who you all know is trying to do the right thing, is trying to parent her child in a way that keeps that child alive, in a way that keeps that child successful in school and with friends and healthy.”

Begley's complaint comes across as meanspirited because it implies that Hunt isn't opposing the bill because of the harm it could potentially do to her child, but because she supposedly financially gains if it fails. I have no idea what the point of his complaint was, but its outcome obviously isn't working like he planned

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Nebraska are standing up for Hunt. “I do not endorse this offensive complaint,” state Sen. Tom Brandt (R) said, adding that “family is off limits” and “It is so far out of bounds that it does not merit discussion.”

 “So if Senator Hunt is going to get a conflict or a NADC file against her, then I should, too,” state Sen. Wendy DeBoer (D) said, referring to how all legislators are impacted by legislation passed by the body but it usually isn’t considered a conflict of interest.

 But Hunt said that’s not enough; she wants Republicans to give up their attempt to ban trans youth like her son from getting gender-affirming care.

'Montana lawmaker suggested that she'd prefer daughter die by suicide than to transition' & other Mon midday news briefs

Montana legislator Kerri Seekins-Crowe

Montana Republican Lawmaker Suggested She'd Prefer Her Daughter Die By Suicide Than Transition - This is the mess trans people have to deal with.

1 in 4 high school students identifies as LGBTQ - You cannot eliminate our kids nor render them invisible. 

More Republicans turn on Ron DeSantis - Because he is an incompetent nothing without his state Republican super majority. 

WATCH: The best LGBTQ+ movie trailers that dropped in April 2023 - Just in case you missed them.

Poll - over half of registered voters say attack on transgender community is a major problem

 

From The Hill

More than half of registered voters believe political attacks on transgender children and families are a “major problem,” according to a Fox News poll. The poll found that 57 percent of respondents said the attacks are a major problem, while 26 percent said they are a minor problem. Only 15 percent said they were not a problem, while 3 percent said they were unsure. The results come as numerous states have approved legislation targeting the rights of LGBTQ individuals. 

 . . .The Fox poll did find that 54 percent of respondents said female transgender athletes competing in women’s sports is a major problem, while 27 percent said it is a minor problem. Only 18 percent said it is not a problem.

People may have a difference of opinion about particular trans issues (i.e. trans athletes competing), but one thing which gets them all united is the distaste of seeing trans people getting picked on.

While GOP state legislators have the power to make anti-trans laws, what they don't have is the power to control the narrative. All of their justifications for these attacks on trans people (attacks on gender-affirming care with grim and false anecdotes of children being sterilized and castrated) doesn't seem to be registering with the public. Also the Republican Party can't seem to temper themselves or their allies from being downright meanspirited in their attacks on trans people. When you have state officials moving to ban all gender-affirming care (in spite of claims of only wanting to protect children) and social media wannabe influencers spewing nonsense about 'eradicating transgenderism' or verbally assault the trans community practically every day, you aren't building up credibility. You are coming across as downright scary.

This translates as a problem to the Republican Party. Coupled with DeSantis's attacks on Disney, abortion bans, the attacks on education, the refusal to do something about gun violence, and the book banning across the country, the GOP is crafting an image designed to turn off voters.

TX school cancels field trip to 'James and the Giant Peach' play after parent raises concerns about drag queens

From Raw Story:

A Texas school district canceled a field trip to see a performance of "James and the Giant Peach" after a single parent complained that actors were dressed in drag. The parent raised concerns at a recent school board meeting that some actors were playing both men and women in the performance, saying that was inappropriate for children, and the Spring Branch Independent School District canceled the visit, reported KTRK-TV. 

 "Spring Branch ISD's pending field trips to the Main Street Theater performance of 'James and the Giant Peach' are being canceled due to concerns raised about the age-appropriateness of the performance," administrators told the TV station. 

 The play, which is based on the Roald Dahl book, is intended for children as young as first grade, and a spokeswoman for Main Street Theater said the parent who complained was wrong. "Drag is a different art form," said Shannon Emerick, the theater's marketing director. "There is a whole art form that is drag. The amazing thing is the kids just believe the story. They're not interested in any agendas or anything else anyone thinks is going on."

The parent who raised questions ,Jessica Gerland, gave an interview to a local news station, KHOU11:

“The way that they are normalizing this, especially in front of 5- to 6-year-olds, it just raises concerns for some parents,” she said. 

 Gerland says she brought her concerns to the district at Monday’s school board meeting, after calling Main Street Theater to get additional details. She says the theater told her actors play multiple roles that are both male and female. 

"She explained to me how they wear flamboyant makeup and wigs to make it fun for the kids," she said. "Do you know what the definition of a drag queen is?"  . . ."It's something that I thought would be more appropriate for high schoolers, not kindergarteners,” said Gerland.  

James and the Giant Peach is a very popular children's book (I've read it)  which was published in 1961. It tells the story of young boy who escapes his abusive aunts by way of a giant peach, which he and several giant insects ride to America while avoiding sharks, seagulls, and "Cloud men" along the way.  My guess is that the play adapts all of this for the stage. If actors are in drag during the performance,  I sincerely doubt they will be doing any of those things which conservatives and wannabe social media influencers like to mischaracterize as "child-grooming techniques."  Somehow I don't envision the evil aunts adorned in glittery sequins while lip syncing to Lady Gaga or the female insects getting tips from the audience while performing gymnastic splits.

 No one should be surprised that the anti-drag hysteria has come to this. On the contrary, we should be delighted that is has come to this. What better way to  expose the idiocy of this entire moral panic against drag shows and drag queens?

God help us if these parental crusaders go after Bugs Bunny next.  I hear he has quite a fetching wardrobe.

'Dwyane Wade, who has trans daughter, say Florida's anti-LGBTQ legislation was reason why he left the state' & other Thur midday news briefs

Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade Says Family Is His Motivation for Having Left Florida: 'Would Not Be Accepted' (Exclusive)​ - Dwyane Wade has a trans daughter and again he is showing the perfect way to support your trans child. Kudos to him. And I hope DeSantis keeps his mouth shut about this.

Transphobes freak out as trans woman comes in 6160th place in London Marathon - She didn't even place, folks. Calm down. Get a life. 

North Dakota limits bathroom use for transgender people - What are they going to do? Check at the door? Peek under the stall? 

Over half of 2022's most challenged books have LGBTQ themes - Their attempts to shut us down won't work.

'Missouri anti-trans emergency rule temporarily halted, Justice Department files complaint against Tennessee anti-trans law

Several state legislatures and government officials have spent a nauseatingly large amount of time attacking transgender Americans via legislation. Now it seems that the cavalry, so to speak, may be arriving.

 Albeit slowly. 

First let's look at Missouri. Earlier this month, state attorney general Andrew Bailey released an emergency order which would effectively ban gender-affirming care for all trans people in the state. The order was to take effect on Thursday.

Not anymore, at least temporarily. 

From KMBC News:

A Missouri judge on Wednesday temporarily halted a first-of-its-kind rule restricting access to gender-affirming health care for transgender kids and adults, just hours before it was set to take effect. St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo put Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s emergency rule on transgender health care on hold until at least Monday.

 Bailey has touted the rule as a way to shield minors from what he describes as experimental medical treatments, though puberty blockers and sex hormones have been prescribed for decades. The restrictions also apply to health care for adults. Transgender Missourians and health care providers sued to stop it from taking effect as scheduled Thursday. They argued that Bailey sidestepped the GOP-led Legislature and acted beyond his authority in attempting to regulate gender-affirming health care under the state’s consumer-protection laws.

On Monday, the court will rule on a temporary restraining order against Bailey's rule. I have my fingers crossed here but so far it doesn't look good for Bailey.  We will see what happens.

And there is also news from Tennessee. The Justice Department is stepping in to challenge that state's anti-trans law.

According to WSMV4:

The Department of Justice has filed a complaint challenging Tennessee’s recently enacted law banning transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care. The DOJ says its complaint alleges that the law’s ban on proving certain medically necessary care to trans youth violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

 Along with the complaint, the DOJ says they’re asking the court to issue an immediate order to prevent the law from going into effect on July 1, 2023. The DOJ says SB 1 makes it unlawful to provide or offer certain types of medical care for trans youth with diagnosed gender dysphoria. “SB 1′s blanket ban prohibits potential treatment options that have been recommended by major medical associations for consideration in limited circumstances in accordance with established and comprehensive guidelines and standards of care,” the DOJ said in a press release.

 “By denying only transgender youth access to these forms of medically necessary care while allowing non-transgender minors access to the same or similar procedures, SB 1 discriminates against transgender youth. The department’s complaint alleges that SB 1 violates the Equal Protection Clause by discriminating on the basis of both sex and transgender status. Doctors, parents and anyone else who provides or offers to provide the prohibited care faces the possibility of civil suits for 30 years and other sanctions.”

'Legal advocates sue to block Missouri AG's rule to restrict trans care' & other Wed midday news briefs

Legal advocates file petition that could block Missouri AG's rule to restrict trans care - Time for the games to be over. Let's take this mess to court. I'm all for it. 

Florida Subpoenas Medical Associations Over Trans Youth Care - An intimidation tactic which will backfire. But go ahead and be stupid, Florida.

‘A Solution Looking for a Problem’: Bill that would out LGBTQ+ students to parents gets third hearing - Based upon the comments during the hearing . . . Good Lord!! 

Texas state department orders people to dress in accordance with their "biological gender" - Another attack aimed at trans and nonbinary people.