A Republican lawmaker in Vermont is facing criticism after comments made during a state Senate debate in which he compared transgender identity to bestiality while discussing an animal cruelty bill. The remarks quickly drew condemnation from LGBTQ+ advocates and fellow lawmakers, who accused the senator of using harmful rhetoric to dehumanize transgender people.
During a May 15 debate over House Bill 578, which would strengthen penalties related to sexual acts involving animals, state Sen. Steven Heffernan raised a hypothetical scenario suggesting someone could “identify as an animal” to avoid prosecution. He referenced Vermont’s constitutional protections for gender identity while making the argument on the Senate floor.
According to reporting from multiple news outlets, Heffernan asked how courts would handle a situation involving someone who claimed to identify as a dog. The comments immediately shifted the tone of the debate away from the legislation itself and toward broader concerns about anti-transgender rhetoric entering mainstream political discourse.
State Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky responded by clarifying that the bill clearly defines illegal conduct involving humans and animals regardless of personal identity claims. Following the exchange, Vyhovsky issued a public statement accusing Heffernan of intentionally attempting to “other” transgender Vermonters through inflammatory comparisons.
“He knew exactly what he was doing,” Vyhovsky said, according to the report. She described the comments as part of a long history of rhetoric falsely linking LGBTQ+ people with deviance or criminality.
The controversy arrives as transgender rights remain a major political flashpoint nationwide. Across the United States, lawmakers have introduced legislation targeting gender-affirming care, school policies, athletics participation, and public accommodations. Advocates say rhetoric that compares transgender people to predators or animals contributes to increased hostility and misinformation surrounding the community.
The incident has also drawn attention because Vermont has historically been viewed as one of the country’s more LGBTQ+-friendly states. Vermont was among the first states to legally recognize same-sex unions and has broad anti-discrimination protections covering gender identity and expression.
Critics argue that comments like Heffernan’s normalize harmful stereotypes at a time when transgender Americans are already facing heightened political attacks and growing safety concerns. LGBTQ+ advocates in Vermont and beyond have called on elected officials to reject rhetoric that frames transgender identity as abnormal or dangerous.
As of publication, Heffernan had not publicly apologized for the remarks.
