During a visit to lobby legislators on transgender issues, Senator Carden Summers (R) knelt down and told a child he would protect her. When he learned she was trans, he backed away.

During a visit to lobby legislators on transgender issues, Senator Carden Summers ® knelt down and told a child he would protect her. When he learned she was trans, he backed away.

On Feb. 6, a group of families met to lobby senators on issues affecting the local transgender community in Georgia. One mother, Lena Kotler, decided to take her two children with her to give the topic a human face. While waiting to meet with Democratic Sen. Kim Jackson, who they had heard was a big supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, another senator passed by — Republican Sen. Carden Summers, the primary sponsor of the state’s bathroom ban bill. Little did he know that one of the children he would be interacting with, Aleix, 8 years old, was a transgender child.

According to Kotler and other families who were present, the senator stopped to say hello. That’s when Kotler spoke to Senator Summers about how she was there with her kids to “talk to legislators about keeping her kids safe.” Although she did not mention that one of her children was trans, they were present with LGBTQ+ signage - something the Senator apparently missed when he knelt down in front of Aleix and said, according to Kotler, “Well you know, we’re working on that and I’m going to protect kids like you.”

Kotler then replied, “Yeah - Alex is trans, and she wants to be safe at school, she wants to go to the bathroom and be safe.”

That is when, according to multiple witnesses, Sen. Summers stood up and fumbled his words, repeating, “I mean, yeah, I’m going to make sure she’s safe by going to the right bathroom,” continuing to use the correct pronouns for Aleix. When asked if he would make her go to a boy’s bathroom, he then allegedly backed away, saying, “You’re attacking me,” turned around, and walked off quickly.

read more: https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/georgia-senator-vows-to-protect-girl?publication_id=994764&post_id=141716994

    • mellowheat@suppo.fiEnglish
      24·
      9 months ago

      Recent data shows a sharp rise (at least double the amount since 2017) in children identifying as trans. But I believe it’s still controversial as to why this happened.

        • mellowheat@suppo.fiEnglish
          26·
          9 months ago

          Yep. I think it’s fascinating how this can be a generational phenomenon when I believe the understanding is that you get your sexual and gender identities more or less at birth. I mean if the liberalization of attitudes is the reason why more people identify as LGBT, shouldn’t that affect the older generations as well?

          I think the truth and sort of a non-answer is that the brain is a very complicated organ and everything affects it.

          • Kilgore Trout@feddit.itEnglish
            21·
            9 months ago

            That “previous understanding” is still correct, despite new desires to feel special.

            Sexual orientation is defined up to the first two months after birth, and homosexual population in humans is around 5-10%.

          • SuddenlyMelissa@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
            32·
            9 months ago

            I’m 40, I have know I’m trans my whole life. I have been to afraid to cone out and face that because of people with your false beliefs. I have struggled immensely in life for 35 years because I didn’t feel it was safe to talk about or explore. I’ve decided it’s finally time to take my life back.

            You do not know what you are talking about, at all. Stop assuming you do, and start learning.

            • mellowheat@suppo.fiEnglish
              22·
              9 months ago

              I’m 40, I have know I’m trans my whole life. I have been to afraid to cone out and face that because of people with your false beliefs.

              Please explain what in my comments in this thread is a false belief that would make you be afraid to come out.

              You do not know what you are talking about, at all. Stop assuming you do, and start learning.

              I suggest you stop assuming things about people you don’t know as well. It only generates ill will and really nothing positive. Besides upvotes in this place, I guess.

      • captain_oni@lemmy.worldEnglish
        81·
        9 months ago

        The same reason there was data showing more people identifying as left-handed once it stopped being taboo and “something to get corrected”.

        But I guess left-handed people brainwashed our youth as well.

        • mellowheat@suppo.fiEnglish
          24·
          9 months ago

          Yes, I know that that is one of the possible explanations of this controversy. But just because you have one explanation, and you think strongly that it’s the correct one, doesn’t mean it’s not controversial.

          But I guess you think left-handed people brainwashed our youth as well.

          “But I guess you think” never ends up in a happy place.

          • captain_oni@lemmy.worldEnglish
            5·
            9 months ago

            Yeah, sorry, that’s why I edited my original comment. Was very unfair of me to put words in your mouth (or I guess “fingers” in this case).

            Most likely just a gut reaction from all the people I see trying to argue a variation on the “we didn’t have so many trans people before this, so something must be turning people trans” idea. Since most people just argue in bad faith, and are not actually looking for an answer.

            (Actually I edited 3 times because of grammar, my brain was just not cooperating when it comes to typing).