(Article, archive)
Democrat Karen Berg blamed 'vile anti-trans' hate and the lack of acceptance for her son's suicide. It was an argument she also address to the senate in February - when she warned 'the world is coming after them,' referring to trans people like her son.
Berg's son Henry Berg-Brousseau - a passionate LGBT activist - died on Friday after taking his own life at the age of 24.
Berg-Brousseau was honored by his mother on Tuesday, in which she said 'a lack of acceptance took a toll on Henry' after politicians tried to 'exacerbated the culture wars.'
The devastating statement, which was released late on Tuesday, read: 'I gave my whole heart trying to protect my child from a world where some people and especially some politicians intentionally continues to believe that marginalizing my child was OK simply because of who he was.
'The vitriol against trans people is not happening in a vacuum,' she added.
'It is not just a way of scoring political points by exacerbating the culture wars.
'It has real world-implications on how transgender people view their place in the world and how they are treated as they just try to live their lives.'
The Louisville lawmaker said her son had just received a significant promotion working for the Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for LGBTQ rights, and that his colleagues describes him as 'an absolute light.'
'He was doing work that was important to him - to make the world a more accepting place. At 24-years-old he had finally found a community, but that could not undo the brokenness that he already felt,' she said.
Berg went on to suggest that her son feared for his personal safety, saying: 'In one of our last conversations he wondered if he was safe walking down the street.'
'He will be remembered for his drive to make this world a more accepting place, his ambition to use communications and politics as a force for positive change, and his eagerness to make everyone around him feel loved,' his obituary states, adding that he died in his home in Arlington, Virginia.
The Human Rights Campaign tweeted: 'Henry was our beloved colleague and friend and brought light to everyone around him.
'In his honor, we must come together and speak out against injustice. We must fight for our transgender family.
'There are no words to describe how much we miss him.'
His final tweet was retweeting the words of his boss: 'State lawmakers have advanced an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ bills to restrict where and how we can freely and openly be our true selves.'
Berg had talked about her son during legislative proceedings as she opposed Kentucky bills that take aim at transgender people, which have increasingly passed in Republican statehouses across the country.
That includes a 2022 law that bars transgender girls and women from participating in school sports matching their gender identity, which applies from sixth grade through college.
Berg said in a statement: 'On a daily basis at his job Henry would be aware of the hateful and vile anti-trans messaging being circulated around this country and focused at his workplace.'
Berg, a physician and professor from Louisville, who spent 30 years practicing medicine before being elected to the state Senate in 2020, praised her son's resilience.
She said he spent his life 'working to extend grace, compassion and understanding to everyone.'
He was born in Louisville and attended Louisville Collegiate School, where he advocated for the rights of transgender people by organizing a protest against gay conversion therapy.
Berg-Brousseau was passionate about LGBT rights, and while in high school spoke to the Kentucky Senate Education Committee in an address which was shared on John Oliver Tonight.
He moved to the DC area to study at George Washington University, where he double majored in Political Science and History with a minor in Jewish Studies.
'He was an active member of the Stonewall Kickball League of DC, an avid knitter, and a lover of The West Wing,' his obituary states, adding that he leaves his beloved dog Bibi.
He is survived by his sister Rachael Pass, a Brooklyn-based rabbi and pro-choice campaigner, and father Bob Brousseau, a marketing director.
Henry Berg-Brousseau is seen with his politician mother Karen, father Bob, a marketing director, and sister Rachael, a rabbi
Berg, in a powerful speech to the state Senate, said the 'vitriol against trans people' has 'real-world implications for how transgender people view their place in the world and how they are treated as they just try to live their lives.'
She added: 'If I have one ask, it would be this: practice tolerance and grace. Work on loving your neighbor.
'As the mother of a transgender son, I gave my whole heart trying to protect my child from a world were some people and especially some politicians intentionally continued to believe that marginalizing my child was OK simply because of who he was.'
Tributes poured in to Berg-Brousseau on Tuesday night.
Activist Andrew Brennen tweeted: 'i ran into @bergbrousseau a few months ago at a party in dc. i immediately recognized him as someone i've looked up to for years. from across the room i yelled "you're from kentucky!" and saw his face light up. i'll miss that smile. we all will.
'im angry he won't live to see that come to pass. im angry that he didn't feel safe walking down the street.
'@BergBrousseau deserved a kentucky that had as much love for him as he had for us.'
Daniel Grossberg, a recently-elected Kentucky lawmaker, tweeted: 'I am terribly saddened to hear of the loss of my very first campaign intern, @BergBrousseau.
'Henry was a beacon of light in an otherwise dark world. He was brave. He was bright. He was kind. He fought for a better world.
'May his memory forever be a blessing.'
Molly Shah, an activist and journalist, said he was 'a truly brave and lovely person who I was so proud to stand with when we sued Trump'.
- Democratic Senator Karen Berg's transgender son took his own life
- Berg suggested in a statement that his death could be blamed on politicians that used trans issues to score political points and further the culture wars
- Henry Berg-Brousseau, 24, a passionate activist for LGBT causes, died after succumbing to mental health issues
- Berg, who practiced medicine before entering politics, said her son spent his life 'working to extend grace, compassion and understanding to everyone'
- If you or a loved one needs help, call 988 for confidential mental health support
Democrat Karen Berg blamed 'vile anti-trans' hate and the lack of acceptance for her son's suicide. It was an argument she also address to the senate in February - when she warned 'the world is coming after them,' referring to trans people like her son.
Berg's son Henry Berg-Brousseau - a passionate LGBT activist - died on Friday after taking his own life at the age of 24.
Berg-Brousseau was honored by his mother on Tuesday, in which she said 'a lack of acceptance took a toll on Henry' after politicians tried to 'exacerbated the culture wars.'
The devastating statement, which was released late on Tuesday, read: 'I gave my whole heart trying to protect my child from a world where some people and especially some politicians intentionally continues to believe that marginalizing my child was OK simply because of who he was.
'The vitriol against trans people is not happening in a vacuum,' she added.
'It is not just a way of scoring political points by exacerbating the culture wars.
'It has real world-implications on how transgender people view their place in the world and how they are treated as they just try to live their lives.'
The Louisville lawmaker said her son had just received a significant promotion working for the Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for LGBTQ rights, and that his colleagues describes him as 'an absolute light.'
'He was doing work that was important to him - to make the world a more accepting place. At 24-years-old he had finally found a community, but that could not undo the brokenness that he already felt,' she said.
Berg went on to suggest that her son feared for his personal safety, saying: 'In one of our last conversations he wondered if he was safe walking down the street.'
'He will be remembered for his drive to make this world a more accepting place, his ambition to use communications and politics as a force for positive change, and his eagerness to make everyone around him feel loved,' his obituary states, adding that he died in his home in Arlington, Virginia.
The Human Rights Campaign tweeted: 'Henry was our beloved colleague and friend and brought light to everyone around him.
'In his honor, we must come together and speak out against injustice. We must fight for our transgender family.
'There are no words to describe how much we miss him.'
His final tweet was retweeting the words of his boss: 'State lawmakers have advanced an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ bills to restrict where and how we can freely and openly be our true selves.'
Berg had talked about her son during legislative proceedings as she opposed Kentucky bills that take aim at transgender people, which have increasingly passed in Republican statehouses across the country.
That includes a 2022 law that bars transgender girls and women from participating in school sports matching their gender identity, which applies from sixth grade through college.
Berg said in a statement: 'On a daily basis at his job Henry would be aware of the hateful and vile anti-trans messaging being circulated around this country and focused at his workplace.'
Berg, a physician and professor from Louisville, who spent 30 years practicing medicine before being elected to the state Senate in 2020, praised her son's resilience.
She said he spent his life 'working to extend grace, compassion and understanding to everyone.'
He was born in Louisville and attended Louisville Collegiate School, where he advocated for the rights of transgender people by organizing a protest against gay conversion therapy.
Berg-Brousseau was passionate about LGBT rights, and while in high school spoke to the Kentucky Senate Education Committee in an address which was shared on John Oliver Tonight.
He moved to the DC area to study at George Washington University, where he double majored in Political Science and History with a minor in Jewish Studies.
'He was an active member of the Stonewall Kickball League of DC, an avid knitter, and a lover of The West Wing,' his obituary states, adding that he leaves his beloved dog Bibi.
He is survived by his sister Rachael Pass, a Brooklyn-based rabbi and pro-choice campaigner, and father Bob Brousseau, a marketing director.
Henry Berg-Brousseau is seen with his politician mother Karen, father Bob, a marketing director, and sister Rachael, a rabbi
Berg, in a powerful speech to the state Senate, said the 'vitriol against trans people' has 'real-world implications for how transgender people view their place in the world and how they are treated as they just try to live their lives.'
She added: 'If I have one ask, it would be this: practice tolerance and grace. Work on loving your neighbor.
'As the mother of a transgender son, I gave my whole heart trying to protect my child from a world were some people and especially some politicians intentionally continued to believe that marginalizing my child was OK simply because of who he was.'
Tributes poured in to Berg-Brousseau on Tuesday night.
Activist Andrew Brennen tweeted: 'i ran into @bergbrousseau a few months ago at a party in dc. i immediately recognized him as someone i've looked up to for years. from across the room i yelled "you're from kentucky!" and saw his face light up. i'll miss that smile. we all will.
'im angry he won't live to see that come to pass. im angry that he didn't feel safe walking down the street.
'@BergBrousseau deserved a kentucky that had as much love for him as he had for us.'
Daniel Grossberg, a recently-elected Kentucky lawmaker, tweeted: 'I am terribly saddened to hear of the loss of my very first campaign intern, @BergBrousseau.
'Henry was a beacon of light in an otherwise dark world. He was brave. He was bright. He was kind. He fought for a better world.
'May his memory forever be a blessing.'
Molly Shah, an activist and journalist, said he was 'a truly brave and lovely person who I was so proud to stand with when we sued Trump'.
