Nebraska state Sen. Megan Hunt has been part of the filibuster against legislation like many of the proposals around the country targeting transgender Americans.
Hunt explained that her son is transgender and has been unable to get gender-affirming care in the state.
“And this bill, colleagues, is such an affront to me personally and would violate my rights to parent my child in Nebraska," she said in a floor speech in March. She joined with other Democrats who pledged that if the legislature passed such a bill they would block any and all legislation from moving forward in the state.
For Republican Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, this became a serious problem as her grandson was graduating from preschool.
Taking to the Senate floor on Thursday, Hunt spoke out with empathy and apology that Linehan missed her grandson's event, but she explained it was Linehan's choice to pick between her family and the legislature.
"I'm happy you're listening because I'm only asking you — we are only here doing this because of LB574, period," Hunt explained. "I'm not asking you to sit here through late nights to vote on these bills that we're dragging out. I'm asking you to love your family more than you hate mine. I'm asking you to love your family more than you hate mine. If your family wants you home to recover from surgery, maybe you should do that. If you want to go see your grandson graduate from preschool, you should do that. Instead, you are here to drag out this session because you won't come off this bill that hurts my son. You hate him more than you love your own family, and that's why you're here. And so, go to the graduation. Go recover from surgery. We don't need you here. We need you to vote no or present on 574 because there's nothing else in this body that's affecting your family."
Hunt recently switched from the Democratic Party to the Independent after she said large groups like the DLCC and EMILY's List refused to support progressive candidates like her over more conservative Democrats. It's been a decade-long criticism from many within the party.
Senator Megan Hunt: "Asking You to Love Your Family More than You Hate Mine"www.youtube.com
