Saturday Night Live introduced its first non-binary cast member Saturday. Molly Kearney joined SNL’s “Weekend Update” to criticize a series of bills that would ban puberty blockers, hormones and transition surgery for minors.
Weekend Update host and head writer Michael Che introduced the segment saying “since the start of this year over 400 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced across the country, many of which directly target trans youth, here to talk about it is someone with their own introduction.”
A PA voice then announced, “introducing SNL’s first non-binary cast member, it’s Molly Kearney!” Kearney then descended from the ceiling in a waist harness into the iconic Weekend Update set. “As you know I’ve been wanting to come to Update and talk about trans people, but I have for a much longer time than that wanted to fly down from the ceiling.” Kearney said. “But I’m not gonna lie this harness is pretty tight and my groin area is BEEFED,” she continued “I’ve been hung up on my genitals for far too long and I’m starting to feel like a frickin Republican lawmaker.”
Kearney said “at one point I heard a crew member say ‘is she gonna die up there?’ and then another guy was like ‘you mean are they gonna die up there?'” to raucous applause.
“As of this week there are now over 14 states that have passed bills restricting health care for trans kids.” said Michael Che.
“If you don’t care about trans kids lives it means you don’t care about frickin kids lives.” Kearney said.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, joining Republican lawmakers across the nation, passed a bill Thursday which said “In an effort to protect children … state law already prohibits performing those procedures in the absence of substantial guardrails that ensure informed consent and adequate access to mental health care.”
Missouri joins a host of other states in prohibiting minors from receiving irreversible surgery including Florida, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Kearney was introduced as the cast’s first non-binary member in September 2022. She has appeared in a number of other projects including the rebooted “A League of Their Own” and “The Mighty Ducks.”