The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee saw a barrage of verbal attacks directed towards transgender individuals this week, which went against their initial promise to tone down heated rhetoric amidst growing political violence concerns. Prominent Republicans, including governors and members of Congress, contradicted their earlier pledges of civility made in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump by criticizing transgender individuals and undocumented immigrants. It is worth noting that some RNC attendees even held signs calling for mass deportations, which was one of Trump’s campaign promises.
During the four-day assembly, several individuals utilized their allotted time to mock individuals who do not conform to a strictly two-gender system, accusing them for Easter coinciding with International Transgender Day of Visibility and promoting the baseless yet provocative notion that transgender individuals attempt to sexualize or brainwash children in educational institutions.
In his acceptance speech, Former President Donald Trump made a bold statement regarding his administration’s stance on transgender athletes. He declared, “We will not have men playing in women’s sports.” Trump’s words were a clear indication of his commitment to preserving the integrity of sports and ensuring fair competition for all athletes.
Using the phrase “men competing in women’s sports” in politics is a clear example of transphobia. This phrasing deliberately misgenders transgender individuals and denies their existence altogether.
On Wednesday, Donald Trump Jr., the son of the former president, associated trans individuals with the GOP’s current critique of public education curriculums and policies that involve gender.
In his statement, he criticized left-wing activists for posing as educators and indoctrinating children with the belief of there being 57 genders. He pointed out their inability to define what a woman actually is.
Eric Trump, the second-oldest son of former US President Donald Trump, expressed concern over male athletes participating in women’s sports and potentially ruining the aspirations of young girls who have dedicated their lives to training. He specifically mentioned how male athletes, who are even as tall as him at 6’5″, are competing in women’s sports, which could have a detrimental impact on the sport and the opportunities available to female athletes.
In recent years, Republicans have adopted a consistent and concerning message against the LGBTQ+ community, specifically focusing on transgender individuals and their rights. Shockingly, they have introduced a staggering 652 bills aimed at targeting transgender civil rights in 43 states within the past year alone. Out of these bills, 47 have already been passed while more than 100 are still pending. This alarming rhetoric has not only caused fear and anxiety for LGBTQ+ Americans but also led to an increase in hate crimes, particularly those based on gender identity, in the past two years according to advocacy groups.
According to a recent 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll carried out in August 2023, the legislation aimed at restricting gender-affirming care is not widely accepted among Americans. Merely 17 percent of the participants stated that politicians should prioritize such restrictions, while 44 percent believed that trans issues should not be a focus for politicians at all.
In March 2023, a poll by PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist revealed that more than half of Americans, 54 percent to be precise, are against laws that make it a criminal offense to provide gender-affirming medical care to minors. However, the same poll also suggested that anti-trans rhetoric was gradually reducing support for transgender individuals. Even though most Americans reject the idea of criminalizing care for minors, there has been a 15-point increase since 2021 in the percentage of people who support the ban, with 43 percent supporting it in 2023.
It’s worth noting that the Republican party has made some changes to their stance on LGBTQ+ issues leading up to the convention. They recently unveiled a new platform that eliminates the definition of marriage as being between “a man and a woman.” This move is seen as an attempt to ease concerns that the party would attempt to roll back marriage equality, which was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2015. It’s important to note that the court has since become more conservative, adding an extra layer of concern for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Republican Party’s recently endorsed platform has cemented its stance of being unsupportive towards the transgender community. The platform advocates for the exclusion of transgender individuals from participating in sports that correspond with their gender identity. This decision indicates a continued political hostility towards the transgender community for the next four years.
During the convention, Sen. Ron Johnson from Wisconsin made a statement on Monday, claiming that the Democrats’ agenda includes allowing biological males to compete against girls. This is a phrase commonly used to intentionally misgender and deny the humanity of transgender girls.
In his statement, he criticized school curricula that incorporate teachings about LGBTQ+ individuals, referring to it as the sexualization and indoctrination of children.
On Thursday, Senator Steve Daines from Montana, who leads the fundraising efforts for Senate Republicans, made a statement claiming that “liberal senators” support the inclusion of boys in girls’ sports. He further made a false assertion that this would result in men being present in the locker rooms of our daughters and the daughters of others.
“He said that in Montana, they are able to distinguish between a bull and a cow.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently voiced his criticism of diversity and equity programs, claiming that individuals pushing a “leftist agenda” seek to impose gender ideology on the masses, particularly young students. He went on to say that these individuals are unable to even define what constitutes a woman.
During a convention speech on Monday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia accused those involved in Washington politics of betraying the public trust by “selling us out.”
Amidst cheers from the crowd of the party’s most ardent supporters, she expressed her disappointment, saying, “They promised us normalcy, but instead they gave us transgender visibility day on Easter Sunday.” She went on to assert that there are only two genders and that we are all made in God’s image.
Transgender Day of Visibility has been observed by the trans community on March 31 every year since 2009. It coincides with the first full moon of spring, which this year occurred on March 31, the same date as Easter.
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