Dancing transgender hecklers shut down parents' event at blue state's capitol: 'Sad and unfortunate'
Several provocatively dressed, dancing transgender activists broke into an informational parents' meeting at the Vermont State House on Wednesday, disrupting the event and forcing the parents to seek another space for their event.
The activists played loud music and shouted as event organizers attempted to speak.
The Vermont State House Sergeant of Arms refused to remove the trans activists, claiming they had a right to be there, according to the Vermont Daily Chronicle.
The parents' group – the Vermont Family Alliance – was holding an event for 'Detrans Awareness Day' and was meant to highlight resources available for formerly transgender-identifying people who have been physically, mentally and emotionally harmed by sex-change treatments.
Video taken of the incident posted to X shows several transgender activists, one shirtless and wearing a purple tutu and another waving a ribbon baton, dancing around event organizer Renee McGuinness as she tries to give her presentation to parents.
Speaking with the Vermont Daily Chronicle, McGuinness said the group had reserved the room for the event for the afternoon. However, State House Sergeant at Arms Agatha Kessler made both groups vacate the room after 30 minutes of continued disruption, citing concerns about both parties' safety.
The Chronicle reported that many event attendees moved to the cafeteria to hold their event.
"Our First Amendment rights were denied in this case in favor of a group that was disruptive," said McGuinness. "That's not under the First Amendment for one group to just be able to outshout the other, and whoever outshouts the other, then they've won their First Amendment Rights at the sacrifice of the other party."
McGuinness explained that the event was meant to help former transgender people who have been "denied and ostracized and bullied."
"They want to have a voice, and they want healing from their wounds and injuries because of the medical procedures," she said.
McGuiness called for the Vermont legislature, which is majority Democratic, to amend its rules regarding decorum in the state house to respect the rights of groups that have gone through proper channels to reserve an event space.
"It's sad and unfortunate," said McGuinness. "The First Amendment is really about civil discourse, right? And not censoring one group over another."
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