Nebraska Dem With Trans Son Drops Fiery Rebuke Of GOP-Backed Anti-Trans Bill

Nebraska State Sen. Megan Hunt (D) pledged to filibuster every bill for the rest of the legislative session after the Nebraska Legislature advanced a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for those under 19 – a proposed ban that could impact her trans son.

The bill, backed by Nebraska Sen. Kathleen Kauth (R), would bar minors from seeking gender-affirming therapies including gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments. The bill is one of several introduced across the country in a surge of anti-trans bills this year, according to Trans Legislation Tracker.

Hunt, who identifies as bisexual, discussed her son and his testimony against the bill in committee on Wednesday. She criticized the bill’s supporters on Thursday and said backing it was “the line in the sand” for her.

“We have made it clear that this is the line in the sand,” said Hunt on Thursday.

“People have said ‘What if we go after your bills? What if we put a bunch of bills introduced by progressives up on the agenda, are you going to filibuster those, too?’ Yes, because we’re not like you. We have a principle and a value that actually matters that much to us that we’re willing to stand up for.”

Hunt addressed concerns over whether pushback against the bill sets a precedent and called out Nebraska Sen. R. Brad von Gillern (R) by name for not getting “it.”

″You’ve crossed a line and you’ve gone too far,” Hunt said.

“Don’t say hi to me in the hall, don’t ask me how my weekend was, don’t walk by my desk and ask me anything. Don’t send me Christmas cards, take me off the list … No one in the world holds a grudge like me and no one in the world cares less about being petty than me. I don’t care. I don’t like you.”

The bill is set to go to another round of debate prior to a third – and final – round of voting, according to Nebraska’s KLIN.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) has been open about supporting the bill if it hits his desk.

Hunt joins fellow Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh (D), who filibustered for weeks over the bill, in a vow to filibuster bills for the remainder of the legislative session.