“….So, when we talk about government systems, this is why it’s important to get systems. Because when they talk about, when they try to legislate and use legislative violence against our community it’s important we know these systems so we can use these same systems against them….”

Justice Horn.

Sunday night in Kansas City the LGBTQIA+ community in Kansas City, Missouri held a Townhall in a supportive establishment on Main Street. More than 150 people attended the over two-hour standing room only event.

Justice Horn was the keynote speaker.

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….So, yeah. I’m gonna admit, I walked in here. Felt like a funeral. [inaudible] But, I just really want to name that there’s absolute power when we come together. That all of us, no matter if we live in Kansas City, to Independence, to Blue Springs, to Kansas, to Johnson County, Northland, that there’s fucking power when we’re all together in a space. So let’s fucking name that right now. [applause]

So, let’s be real. We are a ship. A big, beautiful…curvy ship that is fast moving towards an iceberg. Let’s be real. Yeah. Be it the Missouri state legislature and be it a second Trump administration.

And let’s be real, you know, we’ve done this before. The Missouri state legislature, last year we made history for leading the nation in the most anti-LGBT bills filled. Twenty-seven bills. Ban [voices: Boo!], a ban on gender affirming care, ‘don’t say gay’ bill, a ban on life-saving care for adults, sports bans, to even rolling back same-sex marriage which our elders have fought for, and even just putting in place sodomy laws. Like, if any, any of our elders know that that’s like old laws….

….People don’t get models of government. Because it moves very fast. These are models that are meant to leave people behind, are meant to confuse you, and really were not built to include queer people, if we’re being fucking frank. So, um, when we talk about the issues that are impending it’s from the state, it’s from the federal government. So, when we talk about what needs to be done, we have to look at our local partners and our local allies. Um, last year when there were twenty-seven anti-LGBTQ bills filed only two stuck. A sports ban on the Missouri side and a gender affirming care ban on the Missouri side. [….]

What we did is we passed legislation at the city level that insured that Kansas City was a sanctuary city, that we basically wouldn’t enforce the law. So, not only was that important, there were two other important pieces. Your county prosecutor, the county government, is the enforcer of state law and as the mechanism that the state uses. So, let’s say the state passes, oh, cars are illegal. It’s your county prosecutor that enforces that state law into the county jurisdiction. So, she has prosecutor authority. So, we not only got the city, pass sanctuary ordinance, county prosecutor commit to not enforcing and using her office to go after trans people. And, also, lastly, we don’t have control of our police department. We worked with the chief of police, who’s still the chief of police, to put out a statement and pass policy the Board of Police Commissioners that we will not go after trans people….

….So, when we talk about government systems, this is why it’s important to get systems. Because when they talk about, when they try to legislate and use legislative violence against our community it’s important we know these systems so we can use these same systems against them. If these sanctuary cities didn’t work they wouldn’t gripe so much about them, especially when it comes to immigration enforcement. Local governments have home rule and have a lot of respect. And you are not asking too much, especially from your local government, your county governments, that want to show up for Pride, to put in some fucking policy and show up when it fucking matters. [voices, applause]….

….So, if you know history you know that these same talking points, the same idea that, you know, trans folks are villains or that they are the boogeyman is what they did to gay people. Gay people couldn’t be teachers. This inuendo that gay people were pedophiles and stuff, until, you know, we turned the curve and now everyone, including Republicans, is fine with gay marriage.

But we are now getting to a place where it’s gonna be a rough time, but we’re gonna get over this curve where not only trans folks, but access to care is not gonna be a controversial issue.

But you got to understand that change is a rough and uncomfortable thing. And there are some people who really think these folks have just shown up, but it’s just they’ve always been here, always been a part of society, and that’s the same with gay folks, LGBT community, and any oppressed minority. So, I think it’s absolutely important we understand that, yeah, this is an uncomfortable time, but we’re going to look back here in ten years, twenty years and we’re going to think, ‘What the hell?’….

….I really want you all to understand that, that we all have to stick together, we all have to get creative, and we all have to distribute out information, and we all also need to understand that, you know, some days we’re not have capacity. And that’s okay….

Previously:

LGBTQIA+ Townhall Meeting – Kansas City, Missouri – December 8, 2024