Westside students held a walkout against legislative bill 574, which would prevent gender affirming health care for anyone under 19. 

The bill, which would provide civil penalties for doctors and counselors who offer such care, advanced to a second round of debate last week.

Sophomore Sebastion Slanec attended the protest, which happened simultaneously with several other high school students in the metro. 

“At first, I thought it was just a [Westside] thing, but the fact that there’s six other people is amazing,” Slanec said. “I know it’s happening because we’re kind of in a blue city being in Omaha, but the fact that there’s so many people at once doing it makes us even bigger, we have a spotlight.”

Legal and Policy Council expert Jane Seu from ACLU of Nebraska published an open letter to school administrators on March 30, urging them to allow students to engage in ‘democratic participation.’

“For many of our young people who cannot yet vote, peaceful demonstration is one of the most powerful means to show their civic engagement,” Seu said. “The ongoing debate in the Nebraska Legislature has engaged many young people who seek to use their voice and exercise their right to civically engage.”

Slanec said he participated because the impact of the bill would affect his community negatively. 

“At first I asked myself, should I miss class?” Slanec said. “Then I was like, if I don’t go to this, and if it does get passed, I will blame myself continuously because these are my rights that I’m fighting for.” 

Slanec faces personal struggles during the school day, leading him to join the protest. 

“I feel kind of lucky especially in school for passing without any HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and stuff like that, but even then, I’m still scared to use the boys bathrooms,” Slanec said. “I talked about it in class in front of people, and people laughed at me. That didn’t feel great, but there’s so many kids that used to make fun of me or used to hate me that are now out here, supporting all of us.” 

The protest aimed to increase visibility for LB574, and the effects it will have on Nebraskans who receive gender affirming care. 

“This entire protest, in reality is just so people on the street going through their normal day, see how many kids were out here, protesting for something that they believe in, and also just the news and other adults seeing and understanding what we’re going through,” Slanec said.

Slanec hopes the walkout will inspire others to take action for their beliefs.

“The importance of this is so that people know and see that we aren’t afraid, and that’s the reason they’re trying to pass this in the first place, because they know we aren’t afraid,” Slanec said. “They’re saying, ‘oh, if you ban these people, then they can’t fight back’, but that’s exactly what we’re doing and they’re only making it worse for themselves. We’re [sending a message that] we exist, and that we will [act] in order to protect our rights.”