Wyoming Senator Lynn Hutchings compared homosexuality to beastiality and pedophilia to a group of students during Gay-Straight Alliance Civics Day at the Capitol on February 1.

Wyoming Equality filed an informal complaint against Sen. Hutchings with the leadership of the Wyoming Senate. The letter, addressed to Senate President Drew Perkins, says 10 students sought to speak with Hutchings “regarding HB 230, Enhancing Quality Employment Law, and convey their support of the bill.”

The senator said she was unfamiliar with the language of the bill, which died in the House, so the students informed her that it would protect against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

“If my sexual orientation was to have sex with all of the men in there and I had sex with all of the women in there and then they brought their children and I had sex with all of them and then brought their dogs in and I had sex with them, should I be protected for my sexual orientation?” she asked the students.

“At which point, the students sought to clarify the bill’s intent only to be rebuffed by Senator Hutchings repeated interruptions,” the letter states. “As the conversation came to a close, Senator Hutchings then motioned to fist bump the students and embraced one of them. The students and teacher quickly removed themselves from the Jonah Business Center to process this interaction and provide a supportive space for one another.”

Wyoming Equality calls her behavior “unacceptable and inexcusable. Fourteen- and fifteen-year old high school students wishing to engage with the legislative process should not have been confronted with the comments made by Senator Hutchings. Those students, some of which identify as LGBTQ, were deeply hurt and disturbed that they were compared to acts of beastiality and pedophilia. The students’ sentiment was exacerbated especially after Senator Hutchings hypothetically recounted the idea of sexually engaging with children then physically engaged with the students.”

“The Central High School students and their sponsor deserve a clear, direct apology and clarification that Senator Hutchings behavior was unacceptable and inappropriate of an adult and elected official,” the letter concludes.

Cheyenne Mayor Marion Orr denounced Hutchings’ comments, tweeting that the students “deserve better.”

Shame on you, Sen Hutchings. We deserve better. Our youth deserve better. Bestiality is equivalent to being gay? Really? https://t.co/eb7euuPnOl — Mayor Marian Orr (@gofishwyo) February 9, 2019