In the final moments of this week’s “Weekend Update” segment on “Saturday Night Live,” co-anchor Michael Che used the sketch show’s platform to address recent legislation in Republican-dominated states like Florida, Kansas and Missouri, which would heavily restrict gender-affirming healthcare for transgender kids.
“Since the start of this year, over 400 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced across the country, many of which directly target trans youth,” Che said, taking on a more serious tone. “Here to talk about it is someone with their own introduction.”
“Introducing ‘SNL’s’ first non-binary cast-member,’ a disembodied voice foreshadowed as featured player Molly Kearney was lowered from the ceiling on ropes, clad in a vibrant purple jumpsuit. “This harness is pretty tight and my groin area is beefed,” Kearney joked about the strappy contraption. “I have been hung up on my genitals for far too long, and I’m starting to feel like a freaking Republican lawmaker.”
“At one point I heard a crew guy say, ‘Is she gonna die up there?’ And then another crew guy was like, ‘ You mean, are they gonna die up there?’ And then they both walked away and didn’t help which feels a lot how trans people are being treated right now,” Kearney said.
Che proceeded to steer the conversation back toward the ongoing bans, explaining that 14 states have passed bills restricting healthcare for trans youth as of this week.
“Restricting healthcare for kids — for some reason there’s something about the word trans that makes people forget the word ‘kids.’ If you don’t care about trans kids’ lives, it means you don’t care about friggin’ kids lives,” Kearney added.
“People need to wake up,” Kearney continued. “We are making trans kids grow up too fast. We should be keeping them safe and we need to be lifting them up.”
On cue, Kearney was promptly lifted back up into the “‘SNL’ sky” where they glided across the frame for the remainder of the segment.
