Green Bay area State Representative objects to recycled Republican bill that perpetuates damaging and hateful rhetoric towards a very small population of trans student athletes after Public Hearing on Education.

MADISON, WI - The Assembly Committee on Education held a public hearing yesterday on AB 377, a tired and recycled Republican bill that perpetuates damaging and hateful rhetoric towards a very small population of trans student athletes in Wisconsin’s K-12 system. Following the public hearing, Representative Kristina Shelton (D-Green Bay) offered the following statement:

“Republican’s continued vitriol against trans Wisconsinites —  a community who’s mere existence has likely never impacted them, far less caused them harm — paled in the face of the love, care, and allyship shown by our LGBTQ+ family and friends today.

“The performative conservatism we saw from our Republican colleagues has one agenda item, and it is not to protect or champion any one. AB 377 was drafted with the sole purpose of excluding and ostracizing our children and while it will be ultimately vetoed by Governor Evers, it was important to show that Wisconsinites opposed it in droves.

“Republicans should know that riling up a dwindling supporter base for cheap sound bytes pales in comparison to our strength in organizing to protect trans kids. Their voices, stories, and perseverance are what resonated today.

“Being a kid is hard! Putting yourself forward to be vulnerable, learn deeply, and experience failure, growth, and success as part of a team is the exact thread of community that brought us all here to public office. Today, the GOP’s inability to find acceptance and strength in our differences can only be seen as a loss. Our constituents deserve better than to see Assembly Republicans use our taxpayers’ time in this way.”