‘Blatant hatred.’ MO lawmaker’s brother slams bill targeting teachers who aid trans youth
The older brother of a Missouri Republican state lawmaker on Thursday denounced his brother’s decision to file a first-in-the-nation proposal that would criminalize teachers for supporting transgender minors.
The bill, filed last week by Rep. Jamie Gragg, an Ozark Republican, would allow for teachers and school counselors to be charged with felonies for providing support to a child “regarding social transition,” including offering information or resources. It would require those teachers to register as sex offenders.
Charles Gragg Jr., Gragg’s older brother and an Army veteran from Springfield, said on Thursday he was shocked when he watched a video interview of his brother discussing the legislation.
“I saw this as blatant hatred wrapped up in the guise of protecting children,” said Gragg Jr., 58. “This bill actually removes valuable support that is important for the children and needlessly targets teachers.”
Gragg Jr. spoke about his brother’s legislation and his own experience with supportive teachers at a virtual press conference hosted by PROMO, an LGBTQ advocacy group in Missouri. He said he got in contact with the organization minutes after learning of his brother’s bill.
“In addition to attacking those they don’t agree with, it also attacks anyone who expresses compassion or tolerance and seeks to silence them,” he said of the legislation. “It seeks to remove from the conversation.”
Gragg Jr. said he was proud of his brother’s accomplishments as a lawmaker and his decision to attend the press conference had “nothing to do with our brotherly relationship.” He said he hadn’t spoken with his brother about the bill.
Gragg, the Republican lawmaker, did not immediately return a call for comment on Thursday. A member of his staff initially told The Star that Gragg would offer a response but the staff member did not respond to a follow up call and text message.
Thursday’s press conference comes as Missouri Republican lawmakers have filed an onslaught of bills aimed at the LGBTQ community. More than 30 bills have been filed this year, according to a legislative tracker from the ACLU.
While Gragg’s legislation may face an uphill battle this year and has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, other bills regarding the LGBTQ community have moved forward.
The Missouri House Special Committee on Public Policy held a hearing on Wednesday over a bill filed by Rep. Mazzie Christensen, a Bethany Republican, that could criminalize individuals who perform in drag shows held on public property. Dozens of people, including some drag show performers, opposed the legislation during the hearing.
Robert Fischer, a spokesperson for PROMO, told The Star on Wednesday that the legislation could target some drag performances intended for children, including drag storytimes. It could also have unintended consequences for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, he said.
The anti-LGBTQ legislation, including Gragg’s, is a sign that conservatives targeting LGBTQ issues have looked to build upon last year, when lawmakers passed legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors and barring transgender athletes from playing in sports that match their gender identity.
Gragg Jr. on Thursday spoke about how his family moved from Los Angeles to the Ozark region as a kid, which he described as “insanely difficult.” He was bullied relentlessly, he said.
On more than one occasion, he cried on the shoulders of his teachers, who helped make the situation tolerable. Those teachers, he said, are still his heroes. It frightens him to think that if his brother’s legislation were around when he was a kid, it could have ended their careers.
“It’s just hateful and malicious,” he said. “This legislation will cost lives and recklessly destroy others just for the sin of being compassionate.”
