In a tumultuous Friday morning session, the Nebraska state legislature was thrown into disarray when a Democratic lawmaker went off the rails, passionately ranting her support for transgender individuals during a discussion on a bill aimed at prohibiting sex change procedures for minors in the state.
The bill, which ultimately received lawmakers’ approval and was sent to Republican Governor Jim Pillen for his signature, not only bans sex change procedures for minors but also restricts abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Democrat Senator Machaela Cavanaugh vehemently opposed the measure during the session, resorting to loud exclamations and forcefully striking the lectern. She repeatedly shouted, “Transgender people belong here, we need trans people, we love trans people.”
Cavanaugh, whose Twitter bio indicates her preferred pronouns as she/her, continued her impassioned plea, saying, “You matter. You matter, and I am fighting for you. I will not stop. Today, tomorrow, I will not stop. You are loved. You matter. You belong here.”
Her vocal outburst lasted less than a minute before the session resumed.
Cavanaugh also criticized conservatives who voted in favor of the bill, which encompasses provisions safeguarding the rights of unborn children. She cautioned that individuals, medical professionals, and businesses might leave the state as a result.
“Your children are expressing their views on social media, your children are reaching out to you, colleagues,” Cavanaugh declared. “You have to live with your vote… You have to live with the role you play in making history today. You have to live with the fact that you voted to take away people’s rights. You have to live with that. The rest of us have to live with the consequences, but you have to live with that.”
Addressing those who supported the measure, she added, “If you had trouble sleeping after Tuesday night, reflect on that. You don’t have to vote for this,” and shortly afterward labeled proponents of the bill as “weak.”
Cavanaugh also asserted that those supporting the measure had allowed themselves to be influenced by the governor.
Republican lawmakers managed to gather enough votes to overcome a filibuster and pass the bill, which Governor Pillen, a proponent of the legislation, has pledged to sign into law.
The provision in the bill concerning abortion after 12 weeks includes exceptions for cases of rape and incest. Furthermore, individuals under 19 years old would generally be prohibited from undergoing gender-affirming surgeries, although there are certain exceptions.
The state’s chief medical officer, a political appointee who currently serves as an ear, nose, and throat doctor, would be responsible for establishing guidelines regarding puberty blockers and hormone therapies for transgender minors in the state. Some exemptions will be allowed for minors already undergoing treatment before the ban takes effect.
Several Republicans expressed their support for the bill during the debate, including Senator Steve Erdman, who highlighted inconsistencies in the arguments put forth by Democrats.
“At one point, Erdman compared the claim that ‘abortion is healthcare’ to asserting that ‘being raped is lovemaking,'” the senator remarked.
The debate on Friday experienced a brief interruption when protesters in the balcony of the chamber began shouting obscenities at conservative lawmakers and threw objects resembling bloody tampons onto the floor. As the voting process commenced, chants of “Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!” reverberated from outside the chamber.
Related: Pro-Trans Protester Punches Police Officer During Capitol Mob, 6 People Arrested – Video
Following the passage of the bill, at least six individuals were arrested at the Nebraska State Capitol.
Seventeen states have already implemented laws limiting or banning transgender procedures, hormones, and therapies for minors, while proposals are awaiting the governors’ decisions in Texas and Missouri.
Medical organizations and advocates argue that such restrictions further marginalize transgender youth and endanger their well-being.
Adding to the wave of new legislation, North Carolina recently enacted a 12-week abortion law alongside a series of restrictions following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last year that struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. With this development, a total of fourteen states now have laws in place that impose restrictions on abortion throughout pregnancy.
Related: North Carolina GOP Takes a Victory Lap, Overriding Veto of 12 Week Abortion Limit
Nebraska, which currently prohibits abortion after 20 weeks, joins the growing list of states that have recently enacted both abortion and transgender-related laws. Last month, a proposed bill seeking to establish a six-week abortion limit failed to advance.
The debate on these issues is becoming more contentious. Opponents of the newly passed bill contend that such measures infringe upon individual freedoms, particularly of transgender individuals. Meanwhile, supporters argue that it upholds the rights of the unborn and safeguards the well-being of minors.
Both sides agree that the outcome of these laws will have far-reaching societal consequences, good or bad depending on where you fall.