Kansas lawmaker’s remarks about trans colleague causes furor

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – LGBTQ-rights advocates are calling for a Kansas state lawmaker to be formally censured after she said she didn’t want to share the women’s restrooms at the Statehouse with a transgender colleague.

The Kansas House’s top Republican says GOP state Rep. Cheryl Helmer’s comments about Democratic Rep. Stephanie Byers are “unfortunate” and Democrats condemned them.

Helmer’s made the remarks in an email Sunday to a University of Kansas student and in subsequent media interviews. The state’s leading LGBTQ rights lobbyist called them “a new level of toxic bigotry.”

Helmer said Tuesday that she’s concerned about child safety and that parents shouldn’t be allowed to ”change“ a young child’s gender.