Missouri state representative Ian Mackey condemned his Republican colleague for pushing legislation attacking trans youth in a now viral speech. (Twitter/@MOLegDems)
A gay politician has gone viral for passionately confronting a Republican lawmaker over a bill that would ban trans athletes from school sports.
Missouri state representative Ian Mackey delivered a personal and impassioned speech while the state House considered legislation that would ban trans students from participating in school sports.
The Democrat recalled his experience growing up in an area that was not accepting of the LGBT+ community. Mackey even brought up the gay brother of Chuck Basye, the GOP lawmaker who proposed the anti-trans amendment, and discussed how Basye’s brother was “afraid” to come out to the family.
“Your brother wanted to tell you he was gay, didn’t he?” Mackey asked.
Basye said that his brother did but was worried that Bayse would “hold that against him and not let my children be around him”. When questioned about why his brother would think this, the Republican admitted that he didn’t know why his brother had that response, adding he would “never” isolate his children from their uncle.
“I would have been afraid to tell you too,” Mackey declared. “I would have been afraid to tell you to because of stuff like this – because this is what you’re focused on.”
He continued: “This is the legislation you want to put forward. This is what consumes your time.”
The gay lawmaker admitted that he was once “afraid of people like you growing up” in Hickory County, Missouri. He added that he even “grew up in a school district that would vote tomorrow” to enact the anti-trans ban.
Mackey said that he had known “nice people” like his Republican counterpart who pushed legislation attacking the LGBT+ community as a child and was thankful he was able to “make it out” as an adult.
“Thank God I made it out,” he said. “I think every day of the kids who are still there who haven’t made it out, who haven’t escaped from this kind of bigotry.”
He continued: “Gentlemen, I’m not afraid of you anymore because you’re going to lose.
“You may win this today, but you’re going to lose.”
Footage of Mackey’s remarks has gone viral across social media with several people on Twitter sharing the gay politician’s powerful speech.
Meanwhile, in Missouri, State Representative @IanMack03007724 gives one of the most powerful speeches I have ever heard.
Turn on the volume. You want this timeline cleanse.pic.twitter.com/IPaxHtEJyH
— Lindsey Simmons (@LynzforCongress) April 15, 2022
Dear Missouri State Representative Ian Mackey @IanMack03007724 —
I am a Missouri-born, Kansas-raised person. I’m like you.
Just like you, I was scared for a long time.
Just like you, I am scared no more.
Your remarks here are perfection. Thank you for your courage. https://t.co/2UYErSwzfF
— Chely Wright (@chelywright) April 15, 2022
I’ve somehow avoided this all day but I just saw it for the first time today and I’m crying.
I come from a tiny town in Louisiana that would vote for every single anti-trans bill that I’ve dropped in this feed for the last 3 months.
I feel this man’s emotions raw. https://t.co/ClVXuoT3QB
— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) April 15, 2022
👍👍👍👍👍👍 this is amazing and he’s RIGHT. https://t.co/8tsVOiaEpZ
— Houston 🏳️🌈🇺🇦 (@radiohouston) April 15, 2022
“You may win today but you. are. going. to. lose.”
My hero for the day, Rep. Ian Mackey of Missouri does this Kansas City boy proud. I grew up in the same hypocrisy. https://t.co/RkFUenV5I0
— 🏳️🌈💪🔧 Honeymaid (@HoneymaidGraham) April 14, 2022
This is an incredibly moving speech from Missouri Rep. Ian Mackey, speaking out against an anti-trans bill in the Missouri state legislature. Worth a watch. https://t.co/riHfX2E8oO
— Devan Coggan (@devancoggan) April 15, 2022
Listen to this incredible speech from Missouri State Rep. Ian Mackey (@IanMack03007724).
He’s speaking to Republican bigot Chuck Basye, whose amendment would let voters decide whether to ban trans girls from school-sponsored girls’ sports. That amendment passed. https://t.co/nd2KkfiHEj
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) April 15, 2022
Despite Mackey’s speech, Bayse’s amendment was approved in the GOP-led Missouri House with an 89-40 vote, the Associated Press reported. The proposed legislation would allow local elections to decide on whether trans youth can participate on girls’ and women’s sports teams from grades K-12.
The Missouri House will take another vote on the bill before it is sent over to the state Senate.
More than a dozen states now have laws in place restricting trans youth from being able to fully participate in school sports. In this year alone, Iowa, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah and Kentucky have enacted such legislation.
Governors in Indiana and Kansas have vetoed bills that would ban trans students from playing girls’ and women’s school sports in those states.