The audience was in an uproar after an Arkansas State Senator asked a transgender pharmacist if she had a penis.
During a Judiciary Hearing this week, Arkansas state Sen. Matt McKee asked the question directly to Little Rock pharmacist Gwendolyn Herzig. The moment the question was asked, the gathered audience gasped and jeered.
Fox News reported that this was asked during a hearing where Herzig testified against a proposed law banning transition drugs and procedures for minors in Arkansas. McKee asked directly, "Do you have a penis?". This drew a significant reaction from the audience, including one individual who vocalized that the question was "disgraceful."
Herzig replied: "I don't know what my rights are, but that question was highly inappropriate,." Herzig has a doctoral degree and is a licensed pharmacist.
She said she was a doctor and a healthcare professional and directed the Senator to address her. Herzig spoke with NBC News about it later and said she expected no questions other than the one she got. She was shocked that a State Senator would go to this level to try to make a point.
She stated it was the most humiliating thing she had to endure. Herzig recognized that the video had gone viral and stated, "I really just hope it just shows people that there's people like me who want to stand up and that there are people who want to make sure there are access to resources."
Fox News Digital reached out to McKee for comment, but he did not get back to them.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas went after McKee for this and accused the entire state Republican Party of showing their transphobia out in the open.
This exchange occurred as a bill is up for debate in Arkansas right now that would prohibit medical professionals from prescribing cross-sex hormones to minors and having several gender-altering surgeries available to minors. Advocates believe such treatments should be allowed, but most state legislature does not.
The proposed legislation would allow those who received it to sue the provider for up to 30 years after they turned 18. This would have a chilling effect on anyone who might want to provide such surgeries, and it would likely end them out of fear of being sued in Arkansas. This is something that could radically change healthcare access in Arkansas.
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