At a news conference in Hartford, Conn. on Monday alongside advocates for transgender and nonbinary youth, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy took sharp aim at two Southern Republican governors amid the newest surge in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation nationwide. “I frankly have had enough,” he said, and called for “naming” and “shaming” the governors of Florida and of Texas, who he accused of "intentionally targeting" trans and nonbinary children "for political gain."
"I think it's time to call out these powerful adults who are so weak and so insecure in themselves that they would use their power to bully kids,” said Sen. Murphy outside the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, a nonprofit organization that provides health and support services, education and advocacy for individuals of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Murphy, who earlier this month took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to call out Republican-led efforts against trans American youth, specifically cited Gov. Greg Abbott's Feb. 22nd executive order in Texas, which he said, “ordered the state's child welfare agency to investigate reports of gender affirming care for kids as child abuse.” An appeals court has blocked Texas from continuing that practice while it hears the case.
"The criminalization of parents for supporting their trans children is just around the corner. And it's time we stand up for these kids, for their parents and for these families,” said Murphy. “We can do that by shaming them, by naming them and shaming them, and we can also do it through federal guidance, by giving information to parents and families about their existing rights, and by passing legislation so that every school district in this country is like Hartford, and has policies in place to make sure we take steps to address the bullying that is happening across the country."
Asked by this reporter if he intended his comments about "weak and insecure" leaders to directly attack Gov. Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Murphy was direct: "There's got to be something wrong with you that you spend so much of your life bullying kids. Florida and Texas have real problems that governors should be using their time to solve. This isn't a problem. This isn't a threat. This isn't seeking a solution. So I think you have to be pretty weak as a person, as a political leader, and spend all your time attacking these kids.”
“I would suggest that Senator Murphy read the legislation,” wrote DeSantis spokesperson Christine Pushaw in an email, responding to the junior senator from Connecticut’s remarks. “There is nothing in the legislation that could possibly be construed as allowing anyone to ‘bully kids.’ Moreover, there is nothing in the legislation that singles out transgender or other gender identities. The legislation simply affirms parental rights by making it clear that instruction on sexuality and gender issues in grades K-3 is the sole prerogative of parents as they see fit, not schools.”
What HB 1557 actually says is:
“Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” The words “sexual orientation or gender identity” are what earned the law its “Don’t Say Gay” moniker.
“I have no judgment for ordinary citizens who have questions,” Murphy told me. “That's totally fine. I do have judgment for political leaders who should know better and who prioritize their time in a way that goes after these kids."
A spokesperson for Gov. Abbott did not respond to requests for comment as of press time.
“Permission to Hate and to Bully”
Also speaking at Monday’s news conference was Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin (D), who laid part of the blame for the hateful legislation across the country at the election of Donald Trump in 2016. “You created a permissive environment for racism and you soon afterward saw some of the most hateful voices in this country coming out louder, more vocally, more visibly than they had in decades, because they felt empowered by it,” said Bronin. “You're seeing the same thing and you're going to see the same thing when people in power give permission to hate and to bully. And that's what we're starting to see.”
“Connecticut is not immune to the efforts that are taking place in other states,” added Linda Estabrook, executive director of the HGLHC, which hosted the mayor and Sen. Murphy. “We are all responsible for protecting and nurturing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary youth.”
“There’s a lot that still needs to be done,” said Mel Cordner, founder and director of Q+, an organization that advocates for queer youth. They cited research in which Connecticut students were asked if they felt their school curriculum included positive representation of LGBTQ people and if their school’s anti-bullying policy included protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Only one in four answered yes.
“The overall message kids are getting from us is that they aren't welcome or safe in their schools, which is where they spent the vast majority of their time,” they explained. “The impact of that is that they're not focusing on things like resume building or scholarship applications with the same energy that their peers are. They aren't focusing on getting good grades and things like that when they are avoiding having breakfast or lunch because they're trying to avoid any reason to use public restrooms in their schools.”
Cordner’s organization on Monday launched a program hoping to counter those obstacles: A crowdfunding campaign with Sustainable Connecticut. “They will match every dollar up to $7,500,” they said. “It’ll start with a student leadership social justice summer program. We're doing one in West Hartford, one in Middletown. We're hoping to use the summer program to launch a leadership program during the school year.”
“I Am Not A Threat”
“I'm not a threat to anyone else, but every day I step out in fear because people decide to target me because of the unknown,” said Ace Ricker, a trans man of color and the New Haven Pride Center’s Community Impact Manager. He said tackling misinformation is one of the biggest obstacles facing trans and nonbinary individuals like him. “I am not a threat, in no way shape or form,” he said. “We are targeted just for being who we are. I am not affecting anyone else's life by being who I am.”
After the senator and mayor departed, the reporters put away their phones and the photojournalists packed up their gear, I asked Ricker why he is an advocate for LGBTQ youth.
“I remember when I was younger, I didn't feel like there was anyone else like me,” he said. “Being able now to be an adult that younger kids can see, that there are individuals just like me, and there are adults, and they have jobs, and they're enjoying life, and they're experiencing the world and not having to fear stepping outside and not having to fear that they're going to be ostracized or not loved by another, or not have a community to go to. I consistently want to make sure that you have a community, you have a space, you have individuals who are standing by you, because you're worth it. And I want to be one of those people that affirm that.”
