Republican leadership at the Minnesota Capitol have outlined their priorities for the upcoming legislative session — roads and tax relief appear to be the priorities. But an anti-LGBT Republican wants to put the focus on forcing schools, businesses, and other places of accommodation to make life difficult for transgender Minnesotans. In a letter to colleagues on Sunday, Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen asked for support for a bill he plans to introduce that will ban anyone in the marketplace from providing transgender-inclusive facilities.
Calling it a “critically important issue” facing the Minnesota Legislature, Gruenhagen sent out a copy of his most recent email to constituents with the following preface:
Dear Members
I have forwarded you a recent copy of my email update. It deals with the concept of “transgenderism”. As the update indicates I have a female constituent who is being directly affected by this. My greatest concern however, is for my children and grandchildren along with the safety and protection of all Mn children. I also have sympathy for those individuals who have bought the lie of “transgenderism” and are in vain trying to change their gender. I am beseeching each of you to search your soul and hopefully conclude that we on a bipartisan basis can pass legislation to protect our children’s privacy and safety. I cannot believe that the majority of us in either party agree that having children of opposite gender shower, bathe, and use restrooms together is a positive step in our culture. I also, have a letter from the President of the American College of Pediatricians that I will forward separately outlining the damage of teaching gender fluidity to children. Finally, I have legislation that has been peer reviewed by a national legal organization that in their legal opinion will protect adults as well as children from using public facilities simultaneously.
Thank you in advance for your consideration on this critically important issue.
Gruenhagen’s email was sent to all staff and legislators at the Capitol.
Gruenhagen hinted at introducing such a bill last fall. Last week, he penned a letter to the editor of two newspapers trying to rally support for anti-transgender legislation (as well as touting the idea that LGB people can become straight with therapy).
These latest efforts are part of a larger pattern for Gruenhagen. In 2011, he co-founded the Pro-Family Forum, formerly the Pro-Marriage Amendment Forum, along with “former homosexual” Kevin Peterson (In 2013, Gruenhagen announced his “former homosexual” friend on the floor of the Minnesota House as that body was taking up marriage equality).
The Pro-Family Forum held events around the state in support of a failed constitution amendment to ban marriage equality. The group also tried to block anti-bullying legislation with a bizarre video claiming that HIV is transmitted in sweat, and claimed credit for blocking a bill that would prohibit licensed therapists from trying to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a minor.
Gruenhagen’s group placed an billboard near Elk River last year that urged gays and lesbians to seek out “conversion therapy.”
Here’s Gruenhagen’s message to colleagues:
[gview file=”http://thecolu.mn/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Gmail-Fwd_-News-from-Rep.pdf”]
Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, seems to like to be a hurtful Bigot over a non issue. Please learn something about Transgender people, and one thing that shows your lack of knowledge is your continued use of the word “transgenderism”. NO such word exists albeit in your mind and anti Trans haters vocabularies, plain Ignorance. You worry for your children a real tear jerker from an ASSUMER of events that are not happening and will most likely never happen. You sir are an Assumer, and that is
a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof. Show PROOF ! ! Trans people have been around since the beginning of time and respected by many Educated cultures in history. Shows the culture we live in is not well educated, as we have a Birth Anomaly that happens in the first months of Pregnancy where we have our brains programmed as one gender and when the body cues come they are the opposite. The medical community over thirty plus years has discovered what causes this yet not understanding the trigger for it
.
[Think about how little Medical scientists still do not know about the Brain and Body of Humans]
Minnesota has done great things for LGBTQI people for many years now and you belong in So. Dakota with your aspirations. Do some real education on yourself before you get carried away with your self importance. There are many Libraries in Minnesota, for you to garner this information and many groups that could speak to you as I do not think you have talked to many if any at all, Trans people. i would like to leave you with these words that bear on your Bill:
If you refuse to listen to the Voice of the Transgender community, and instead choose to Speak out of Disdain and Ignorance, be assured that what you are saying is Killing Transgender people. To you, the issue may seem clear-cut….but it dosn’t work in real Lives.
You are Complicit in their Deaths. Those that commit suicide could be in your own family, give it thought Sir.
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