Today, at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Equality Act, the most powerful testimony came from 16-year-old Stella Keating, a high school sophomore, a transgender girl, and a possible future senator (or even president) herself.
The Equality Act would extend federal civil rights laws to cover sexual orientation and gender identity and expand protections on the basis of sex. That will help make sure that all LGBTQ people, women, and our families are treated equally under the law. During the hearing, however, most of the arguments against the Act centered around old fears about transgender girls and women in sports (about which I have this to say) and in girls’ and women’s bathrooms and locker rooms (about which I wrote this back in 2016). We cisgender folks need to stand in solidarity with the transgender community, who are taking the brunt of the opposition to the bill, and move forward together on behalf of all of us.
Let Stella, a high school sophomore, inspire you further as she talks about why the Equality Act matters for her. Stella, who wants to become a civil-rights lawyer and a politician, began her political career at 10-years-old, speaking about inclusion and safety at her local school board meeting. She’s also part of the GenderCool Project, a youth-led movement to elevate the voices of transgender and nonbinary kids. Among other things, she asserted today, “I represent America’s future. We are the next generation of small business owners. Software engineers. Scientists. Teachers. Nurses. ….. Presidents. And for my generation to achieve all that we will, we just need to be able to live our lives.”
Watch her testimony below, or read her remarks here. If she’s America’s future, it’s looking pretty bright.
WATCH 16-year old Stella Keating testify: “As a high-school sophomore, I’m starting to look at colleges. And all I can think about is this: less than half of the states in our country provide equal protection for me under the law… How is that even American?” pic.twitter.com/bkhCVObNlD
— Senate Judiciary Committee (@JudiciaryDems) March 17, 2021
Want to hear more? After her prepared remarks, Chair Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked her to talk specifically about transgender girls in sports, and, sports aside, about how the Equality Act—or lack thereof—would affect her life in college and beyond. Here’s what she had to say:
At 16 years old, Stella Keating should be thinking about college and what she wants to do after high school. Instead, she has to think about which states she’d even feel safe in. Watch Chair @SenatorDurbin’s questions for Stella: pic.twitter.com/bmXAQvHQ4Y
— Senate Judiciary Committee (@JudiciaryDems) March 17, 2021
