The Alabama Transgender Rights Action Partnership issued a statement Tuesday defending a transgender consultant at the Alabama Space Camp who was the subject of social media posts that have now garnered more than a million views.
” It is obvious that the goal of these social media posts is to force the Space and Rocket Center to blaze the individual in question just for being transgender”, the statement said.
” Legally, employers may not discriminate based on transgender status because of the majority Supreme Court opinion in Bostock v. Clayton County— an opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was appointed by President Trump”.
People of Alabama’s Congressional delegation posted comments on X, formerly known as Twitter, after a family posted on Instagram complaining about the female identification of one of the U. S. Space and Rocket Center staff. The matter was even picked up by the Libs of TikTok accounts.
” I call on the Center to quickly remove this unique and opened a safety review to consider the potential harm and damage they have unwittingly caused children”, Rep. Dale Powerful said in his post. He said putting the” safety and wellbeing ( of children ) first” is critical.
In a statement Monday evening, the center said it follows national guidelines and does not distinguish against protected sessions when hiring.
The staff at the center of the disagreement declined to comment when contacted on Monday by AL.com.
The statements came after social media posts by Clay Yarbrough of Owens Cross Roads, whose 11- yr- ancient Huntsville girl was to enter the camp as part of a school exercise. After learning a therapist is transgender, Yarbrough told AL.com he planned to remove her.
” It goes against everything I’m for”, he said. ” I just do n’t think this is any place for it. I really think it’s totally out of line”.
The partnership said Yarbrough has no reasonable cause for concern. The class has started a plea to help the worker.
” News companies were quick to report on the incident, but most failed to notice that the targeted individual has done nothing wrong, and that Yarbrough had no great- trust concerns”, the alliance said.
” The notion that gay people are outside to” indoctrinate,”” groom, “or” recruit” children is a biased falsehood that dates again decades in America and has led to honest gay people losing their lives and livelihoods”, the statement said.
” This kind of language more split our state, has no basis in reality, and has previously led to violence”, said Andrea Trenaman, a part of the Alabama Transgender Rights Action Coalition.
” It is more fuel poured on the lights of moral panic gripping the right wing of American social conversation, based only in anxiety and misunderstanding”.
Randall Woodfin, the governor of Birmingham, and Joshua Coleman, the LGBTQ+ contact, shared those similar sentiments on X.
Political leaders ‘ “decision to intensify unfounded fears about a transgender worker who serves as a Camp Counselor” is not just disappointing—it’s harmful,” Coleman said.
This is not about politicians; rather, it is about a woman’s right to live and work without being subjected to prejudice and fearmongering.
