South Dakota Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have prohibited transgender students from using public restrooms that align with their gender identity.
HB 1008 represented a concerted effort by right-wing conservative groups to enact first-of-its-kind legislation that targeted trans kids for discrimination.
Daugaard met recently with three transgender individuals, including two students, and the governor said it “put a human face” on the consequences the legislation would have had.
"It helped me see things through their eyes a little better and see more of their perspective," Daugaard said.
Thomas Lewis, 18, and Kendra Heathscott, 22, were involved in the meeting and said afterward that the governor was kind and receptive in hearing their stories.
Heathscott, who knew Daugaard from his work at the Children's Home Society, said Daugaard doesn't seem as tall as he did back then, but was just as kind.
“You could tell that he’s gone out of his way to get educated about transgender folks,” Heathscott said. “He has the same strong heart that I was aware of when I was younger.”
Kudos, governor. You did the right thing by these kids.