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Missouri Republican Destroys Colleague's Anti-LGBTQ+ Classroom Bill In Must-Watch Takedown

Phil Christofanelli; Ann Kelley
Missouri House of Representatives

Republican Missouri state Rep. Phil Christofanelli went off on fellow Republican Rep. Ann Kelley for her bill that would prohibit teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

Two Republican Missouri Representatives got into a heated debate this week over a proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill many say is even more draconian than Florida's notorious so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill.

The bill sponsored by Republican Missouri Representative Ann Kelley would ban teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.


During a legislative session, Kelley's colleague, Republican Representative Phil Christofanelli, who is gay, ripped her legislation apart by simply asking how it would apply to heterosexuality--which is, of course, a sexual orientation.

The results were... well, really something. See the moment below.


Pointing to the verbiage in the bill, Christofanelli began by posing a simple question:

“I’m just going to read you the language in your bill. No classroom instruction by personnel or third parties relating to sexual orientation or gender identity shall occur."
"You mentioned George Washington. Who is Martha Washington?"

Kelley answered that she was, of course, Washington's wife. Christofanelli then followed up with the obvious question--how under her bill would a teacher be able to teach about Martha Washington if sexual orientation is prohibited from being spoken of.

Kelley, backed into a corner, of course tipped her hand, responding:

“So to me, that’s not sexual orientation.”

Speaking for everyone with a functioning brain, Christofanelli retorted:

"Really. So it’s only really certain sexual orientations that you want prohibited from introduction in the classroom."

It only got dumber from there. After Christofanelli asked her to clarify what her bill says, Kelley claimed that the heart of the matter is everyone's "moral compass," which in her case, "comes from the Bible."

Unfortunately, Kelley once again contradicted herself, and Christofanelli was at the ready with the receipts.

“You said that you didn’t want teachers’ personal beliefs entering the classroom, but it seemed a lot like your personal beliefs you would like to enter all Missouri classrooms."

The rest of the conversation went about as well as you'd guess--Kelley was fully incapable of answering Christofanelli's very simple question about whether or not a teacher would be allowed to teach about Martha Washington under her legislation, and gave up trying.

Kelley's face-plant of a performance in the debate certainly made an impression on Twitter, where many people were in disbelief at the things she said and questions she couldn't answer.










Kelley’s bill, House Bill 634 was introduced on Feb. 23 and would ban all instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in public and charter schools through 12th grade.

She is the same Missouri lawmaker who made waves in February for proposing an absurd dress code for female members of the Missouri House of Representatives.

That resolution passed and now women in the Missouri House must wear jackets to cover up their filthy, sinful arms, thank goodness.

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