‘I’m Not Afraid of You Anymore’: Gay Missouri Lawmaker Challenges GOP Colleague Over Transgender Athlete Bill

A gay Democratic lawmaker in Missouri challenged one of his Republican colleagues over a bill aiming to ban transgender women and girls from participating in women and girls sports.

Lawmakers in the state are considering called the Save Women’s Sports Act. If enacted, the legislation would ban biological males from competing against biological females. That ban would apply to sports from middle school through college.

The bill passed the Republican-controlled state Senate this week. Thursday, it was in the GOP-controlled House for consideration, HuffPost reported.

Video of state Rep. Ian Mackey (D), who opposes the bill, is gaining steam on Twitter after he challenged a Republican colleague during an emotionally-charged and personal statement.

While addressing state Rep. Chuck Basye (R), the Democrat grilled him about his family.

“Do you remember your remarks on the floor last year when you brought this up,” he asked Basye, who asked him to be more specific.

Mackey recalled Basye telling a story about his brother a year ago during a similar debate. Basye said he had received a phone call from his mother.

“Your brother wanted to tell you that he was gay, didn’t he?” Mackey asked Basye.

Basye said his brother was hesitant to share his sexual orientation with the family out of fear he would have been shunned.

“Why do you think he thought that?” Mackey said, to which Basye said his brother would have been embraced, no matter his orientation.

“Can I tell you if I were your brother, I would have been afraid to tell you, too?” Mackey asked. “I would have been afraid to tell you too, because of stuff like this. Because this is what you’re focused on, this is the legislation you want to put forward. This is what consumes your time. I would have been afraid to tell you too. I was afraid of people like you growing up.”

Mackey recalled growing up in a school district in which he was not accepted for being gay.

“I couldn’t wait to move to a part of our state that would reject this stuff,” Mackey, who had begun to shout, said. “Thank God I made it! Thank God I made it out, and I think every day of the kids who are still there!”

The Democrat said his opponents will “lose” on the issue.

“Gentlemen, I’m not afraid of you anymore, because you’re going to lose,” he concluded. “You may win this today, but you’re going to lose.”

Watch above, via the Missouri House Democratic Caucus.