Nebraska Democratic state Sen. Megan Hunt vowed to filibuster every bill for the rest of the legislative session after the Nebraska Legislature advanced a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for people under 19.
The legislation, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Kathleen Kauth, would ban minors from seeking gender confirmation surgery and hormone treatments — issues that could impact Hunt's transgender son. She discussed her son and his testimony in committee on Wednesday and to the wider body the next day.
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"If this bill passes, all your bills are on the chopping block, and the bridge is burned," Hunt warned the chamber.
"We have made it clear that this is the line in the sand," Hunt said to lawmakers on Thursday.
"People have said, 'What if we go after your bills? What if we put a bunch of bills introduced by progressives up on the agenda? Are you going to filibuster those, too?' Yes, because we're not like you," Hunt explained. "We have a principle and a value that actually matters that much to us that we're willing to stand up for."
Hunt was scolded over her stance by Republicans, who said her pushback set a bad precedent.
"You really don't get it," Hunt said to Republican state Sen. R. Brad von Gillern. "You've crossed a line and you've gone too far."
"Don't say hi to me in the hall, don't ask me how my weekend was, don't walk by my desk and ask me anything. Don't send me Christmas cards ― take me off the list," Hunt warned. "No one in the world holds a grudge like me, and no one in the world cares less about being petty than me. I don't care. I don't like you."
Critical support.
The Other.
This is as good an example as I've ever seen of othering.