'As a Biology major, I understand the difference biologically between a male and a woman,' she wrote, noting: 'No surgeon can cut, remove, wop, add to change the biology that is chemically occurring in each and every fiber, bone and molecule of every human being.'
Indeed, in the email to Riffel, Helmer, a Republican from Mulvane, doubled down on her opposition to transgender females competing in women's sports. Laura Kelly's veto of a bill banning transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports - and LGBT advocates say Helmer is merely articulating what many conservatives privately feel. It comes as lawmakers in the state consider whether to override Gov. The remarks were made public by University of Kansas graduate student Brenan Riffel (pictured), with whom Helmer was emailing And I know what the ideology is, as opposed to people like me, and I'm sure these discussions will be going on behind closed doors for the two years that I've been there,' she said. Riffel, the graduate student she replied to who identifies as transfeminine.īyers has since said that this is the first time since she took office two years ago that a colleague made publicly derogatory remarks about her, telling the Capital-Journal that she regularly speaks to Helmer 'as we get out of our cars and take the elevator. That email has now been posted online by Brenan M. Helmer also claimed - without evidence - in the email that 'our wee little girls in elementary and middle and high school are having to be exposed and many have been raped, sodomized and beaten in the restrooms by these supposedly transgenders who may or may not be for real.' 'I have asked the men if they would like a woman in their restroom and they freaked out.' 'It is quite uncomforting,' she continued in her email, before likening the situation to a recent time she accidentally entered the men's restroom. Stephanie Byers, a Democrat from Wichita, who is the first transgender lawmaker in the state. She later confirmed to the Topeka Capital-Journal that she was referencing fellow Rep. Cheryl Helmer wrote: 'Personally, I do not appreciate the huge transgender female who is now in our restrooms in the Capitol.' In the April 23 email replying to a University of Kansas graduate student who expressed their opposition to her bill banning gender reassignment surgery for minors, Rep. Published: 15:29 BST, 26 April 2022 | Updated: 16:54 BST, 26 April 2022Ī Kansas state lawmaker has come under fire for writing in an email to a constituent that she does not 'appreciate' sharing the Capitol bathroom with a transgender colleague. It comes as lawmakers are set to determine whether to overturn a veto of a bill that would ban transgender females from competing in women's sports.Byers said this is the first time since she was elected two years ago that another lawmaker made public, derogatory comments about her.Stephanie Byers, the first transgender lawmaker in the state She later confirmed she was referencing fellow Rep.Helmer also claimed in the April 23 email - without evidence- that girls are being raped and sodomized by 'these supposedly transgenders'.She wrote: 'Personally, I do not appreciate the huge transgender female who is now in our restrooms in the Capitol'.Cheryl Helmer wrote in an email to a constituent she does not 'appreciate' sharing the bathroom with a transgender colleague 'Little girls have been raped by these supposedly transgenders': Kansas lawmaker's unsubstantiated reason for not sharing Capitol bathroom with 'huge' trans colleague