Many politicians in Alabama have openly called for the firing of a Huntsville Space Camp employee after discovering the employee is transgender.
Clay Yarbrough, a parent of a camp attendee, complained on Facebook about a transgender employee supervising the girls, calling the employee a “freak.” This prompted responses on Twitter from U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL), and U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), who all called for the employee to be fired.
Tuberville stated, “It is crucial for Space Camp to remain a safe place for children and young people. I urge the Space and Rocket Center to ensure that its reputation as a world-renowned camp is not affected by today's progressive agenda.”
Strong wrote, “I urge the Center to immediately remove this individual and conduct a safety review to consider the potential harm they have inadvertently caused children.”
Aderholt stated, “After constituents alerted me to the situation at Space Camp in Huntsville, my office promptly expressed my concerns directly with Space Camp officials at the Space & Rocket Center… The safety and well-being of our children and students must always come first.”
The employee has not been accused of any misconduct but has faced criticism for being transgender. Yarbrough and other anti-trans activists have reportedly been searching the employee’s social media profiles for anything they may find scandalous. according to AL.com.
Right-wing hate influencer Chaya Raichik, who is known as Libs of TikTok on social media, also brought attention to the Space Camp and the transgender employee. Reports have found that Raichik’s social media posts targeting LGBTQ+-inclusive institutions regularly lead to bomb threats.
In an official statement responding to the outcry, the Space Camp said, “We want to assure parents, teachers, and the public that the safety and security of Space Camp students is our top priority. Any allegations of misconduct are taken very seriously. We are working to determine the facts in this case, after which we will take appropriate action.”
The camp further emphasized the thorough background check process that each employee goes through: “Our camp staff undergo extensive nationwide criminal background checks that include state, county, and municipal court-level information, Department of Corrections data, state sex offender registries from across the country, and multi-panel drug tests. ”
It also emphasized the rules in place for employees, including no physical contact with children beyond a high five or fist bump, no sharing of personal details between employees and children, and no staff being allowed alone with a child. Staff also sleep in separate rooms, and the facility is under 24-hour surveillance.
The Alabama Transgender Rights Action Coalition issued a statement saying, “It is evident that the goal of these social media posts is to pressure the Space and Rocket Center to fire the employee simply for being transgender.”
The group added, “According to the Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County , which was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, appointed by President Trump, employers are not allowed to discriminate based on transgender status legally.”
