Caravan for Compassion Rolling Through Lex/CKY Friday to Stop SB 150

On Friday, March 24, 2023, there will be a multi-car procession of support for Kentucky’s trans community. The procession will travel throughout Central Kentucky, starting at 4 p.m. This event is being organized by Mason Chernosky and Emma Curtis, two transgender individuals who recently spoke out against the Kentucky Senate Bill 150. The two activists have become quite familiar with the ongoing battle against discriminatory bills being brought forth each session here in the state. Curtis recently shared her story in the Courier Journal. 

Their idea, “Caravan for Compassion,” will help spread awareness and advocacy for the opposition of this anti-trans/anti-queer bill. There will be three stops urging Kentucky Republican State Senators to oppose SB 150, an anti-trans/“don’t say gay”/bathroom ban bill that was recently passed by the Kentucky General Assembly. 

SB 150 is one of many that aim to strengthen “parental rights” and police educational spaces. The bill would act as a way to prohibit a school district from requiring school personnel and pupils from using pronouns for gender-nonconforming students. It would also increase parental rights to dictate their child’s use of pronouns. Some other provisions include:

• Prohibit state education officials from providing support and resources to districts concerning pronouns
• Permits conversations about sexuality, requiring a two-week notice to all parents and providing an alternative to opt out of such conversations
• Prohibits trans youth from receiving gender-affirming healthcare
• Requires doctors who are currently offering gender-affirming services for trans youth to begin implementing a timeline for “detransition”
• Prohibits schools from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity with students
• Prohibits schools from conversations about STDs and sexuality up until sixth grade after which parental consent would be required
• Forces schools to establish bathroom policies that restrict trans kids from utilizing bathrooms aligning with their gender identity

Several state legislators, including Senators Karen Berg and Reginald Thomas, have put up amendments attempting to combat the harmful effects of this bill with minimal success so far. However, organizations such as Fairness Campaign, the ACLU of Kentucky, and VOCAL-Kentucky, have been working hard in Frankfort and continuously lobbying for the rights of queer kids across the state.

The event is being strongly supported by Doug Price, Progress Kentucky treasurer,  Josh Buckman, MWS, and several other Progress Kentucky supporters and LGBTQ+ allies. The stops in this procession will be held at:

• 2537 Larkin Rd, Lexington, KY 40503 at 4 p.m.
• 2233 Lovell Ct, Lexington, KY 40513 at 4:30 p.m.
• 507 Glades Rd, Berea, KY 40403 at approximately 5:45 p.m.

For additional information, please contact Aaron Viles: info@progressky.org, 859-474-2736.