DANVILLE, Ky. — Danville High School students gathered after school Friday to protest a state senate bill that would allow teachers to choose whether they address students with the pronouns aligning with their gender identities.

What You Need To Know

  •  Senate Bill 150 is making its way through the state legislature

  •  If passed, the bill would allow teachers to choose whether to address students with pronouns that align with their gender identitites

  •  Students at Danville High School protested the legislation Friday

  • Several transgender students shared personal stories in hopes of garnering support and understanding

As students held signs and chanted, they expressed concerns that if passed, the legislation could keep transgender students from using pronouns aligned with their gender identities. It could also negatively affect transgender students’ mental health or even out students to their families.

“I just want to have a normal high school experience,” said transgender student Georgie Farmer. “I shouldn’t have to fight to be called Georgie at school because Senate Bill 150 lets teachers and students dead name me. I shouldn’t have to make posters saying I’m human with rights because the Kentucky Senate is actively working to take them away. I shouldn’t have to make a speech opposing a bill that would allow people to misgender me if they felt like it. Senate Bill 150 is putting trans kids all over Kentucky at risk of being outed and denied rights.”

Sam Wilson, one of the protest organizers, wants lawmakers to understand that the legislation would affect more people than some might think.

“I go to this tiny school of 500 people, maybe not even that, and I can list off the top of my head probably 20 trans kids. It’s a lot,” Wilson said. “We’re here, and even if it doesn’t affect you personally, you should fight for us.”

Senate Bill 150 would also require that parents be given notice and an opportunity to pull their kids from instruction on human sexuality.

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