Gay Missouri Legislator Lets Anti-Trans Colleague Have It
Democratic Rep. Ian Mackey spoke on behalf of the Missouri House Democratic Cause on Wednesday, April 13, and shared a passionate story about his own upbringing. The Missouri House of Representatives had a floor debate that included a discussion of the Republican effort to ban trans athletes from participating on sports teams that align with their gender identity. Mackey, who is openly gay, used his time to call out Republican Rep. Chuck Basye, and the effort majorly paid off.
For some context, the state House of Representatives gave preliminary approval to House Bill 2140, a voter ID law requiring residents of Missouri to show a form of photo ID at polls. Basye weaseled in language that would let voters within individual school districts decide if trans athletes can participate in the sports that align with their gender identity.
This is a bad idea for all of the obvious reasons; it’s harmful to students, it’s confusing for schools, and it’s not a system that’s easily replicated for other forms of play, like at the college level. It’s hateful, it’s discriminatory, and that’s obviously the goal here.
According to Missouri Net, Basye said it sounds like “local control” and that he feels “very, very confident” that many people in the state don’t feel they have a voice and are afraid to speak out.