FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Senator Karen Berg watched as her colleagues advanced a bill that transgender advocates believe is "anti-LGBTQ." This happened less than two months after she lost her transgender son, Henry, to suicide.
"I needed to be in the room for the vote," she told reporters.
"I needed to know that they knew that I was standing there," Berg added.
Berg's presence did not sway the lawmakers who sit on the Senate Education Committee. They passed Senate Bill 150 on an 11-1 vote on Thursday.
Opponents of the bill initially called it Kentucky's "Don't Say Gay/Trans" bill. But they have since switched to the "Erase Trans Kids" bill.
Why the change? The bill doesn't prohibit teachers and students to use a student's preferred pronouns. But it does allow teachers to use pronouns that correspond with a student's biological sex.
And advocates for transgender kids worry it will cause harm to vulnerable children.
"Nearly one in five transgender kids have not just seriously considered, but have attempted, suicide in the past year," Chris Hartman of the Fairness Campaign told lawmakers.
"If my trans kids that I'm treating - who have already transitioned - go into the school and their teacher starts using the wrong name and pronouns for them, they will be suicidal," said Miles Joyner, who works with LGBTQ kids. "I have looked into their eyes. have seen their faces. I'm begging for their lives."
Joyner, who is a trans man, also told lawmakers that using a person's preferred pronouns is easy and respectful.
"They deserve to be referred to by their name and their pronouns. It's not hurting you. It's not hurting you to call me Miles," he said. "Why would we hurt our children?"
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Max Wise, defended his bill saying it will empower "parents' rights."
"The purpose of this bill is to ensure parental communication, inspection and authorization," he told lawmakers.
The bill also bans education leaders from offering recommendations regarding how to approach pronouns. It requires schools to notify parents if their student accesses mental or physical health services - unless the parents are or are suspected of being abusive. It requires schools to give parents advanced notice on conversations about human sexuality. Parents can see the curriculum and opt out of the lessons.
"These are all topics and discussions that parents need to be aware of - always in the upbringing of their children," said Wise.
As far as the pronoun component of the bill goes, Wise testified that it's a first amendment issue.
"Protecting the freedom of speech rights of staff and students by not forcing them to use not conforming pronouns requested by other students," he said.
After the vote, Berg told reporters she doesn't believe the bill is about kids, parents, or schools at all. She believes it's a way for Wise, who is Kelly Craft's running mate in the governor's race, is trying to score political points.
"This is a political social issue. What they are doing right now - they are intentionally placing themselves to the right of another potential gubernatorial candidate in the hope of winning that vote," said Berg.
"[The Craft-Wise ticket] needs to show that they are further right than the current Republican front runner on the ticket. That's what this whole thing - this whole shit show - is about," added Berg. "And they're putting our children smack dab in the middle of it, on purpose, without a care in the world."
Senate Bill 150 now heads to the full Senate.
