Outagamie County Board member's recent transphobic comments spark protest, calls for increasing inclusivity

APPLETON - Protesters gathered outside the Outagamie County Government Center Tuesday afternoon to denounce recent transphobic comments made by a county board member and to show solidarity with transgender people in the county.

The protest was organized after Outagamie County Board member Timothy Hermes likened transgender people to "a man pretending to be a woman" and called trans people's use of bathrooms that align with their gender "disgusting" at a May 9 county board meeting.

Additionally, Hermes claimed without evidence that men are dressing up as women so they can go into bathrooms or changing rooms with young girls.

Eleven local activists from Appleton Students for a Democratic Society, ESTHER and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, as well as concerned residents, gathered with transgender pride flags and signs with Hermes' transphobic quotes calling for the county board to condemn its fellow board member's comments and to increase LGBTQ inclusivity in the county.

"Today we stand against that divisive rhetoric and advocate for a society that embraces inclusivity and understanding," organizer and FRSO member Jay Gibbs said at the protest.

Gibbs told The Post-Crescent FRSO organized the protest to show county officials that members of the public are against Hermes' comments and that they don't stand for discrimination of the county's LGBTQ+ population.

"Disturbing remarks made by a county board member, Tim Hermes, not only reflect ignorance and prejudice but also perpetuate harmful stereotypes against the transgender community," Gibbs said.

ESTHER member Connie Raether seconded Gibbs' remark, saying Hermes' comments "are absolutely unacceptable for anyone but especially for someone elected to represent the people."

Appleton SDS member and Lawrence University student Audari Tamayo said he came to the rally to show support for his transgender peers at Lawrence and in Appleton.

"We're not going to stand for transphobic hate in Appleton, Lawrence, anywhere," Tamayo said.

In response to the protest, Hermes told The Post-Crescent, "I have no problem with the trans community whatsoever. I just believe everyone has the same rights to safety."

The board member's comments at the board meeting came unprompted after an equity, diversity and inclusion presentation was given during the meeting that did not reference transgender individuals or their bathroom use.

Hermes' claim that faux trans people are using bathrooms to watch children is unfounded. The National Center for Transgender Equality, the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union say there is no statistical evidence that people are dressing as the opposite gender to sneak into bathrooms.

The unfounded claim that transgender people dress a certain way to get into opposite-gendered bathrooms, rather than people who present themselves in a way that aligns with their gender identity, is one argument in a national discussion surrounding anti-trans bills that asserts that trans people do not exist, but that they are people with predatory schemes.

Hermes was elected to the board in 2022 to represent District 14, which covers the western half of Little Chute.

The group plans to protest at the May 23 county board meeting with similar signs to further condemn Hermes' comments.

Gibbs said, "We're going to call on all of our elected officials, but especially the Outagamie County Board members to uphold the values of equality and diversity in our community, and to hold Mr. Hermes accountable for his harmful remarks and actions."

Sophia Voight is a local government and political reporter for The Post-Crescent. She can be reached for feedback and tips at svoight@postcrescent.com. Follow her on Twitter @sophia_voight.

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This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Protesters condemn Outagamie County Board member's transphobic comment