Former President Donald Trump is making opposition to transgender rights a central theme of his campaign, using derogatory language and misinformation to target the transgender community. Trump and his political allies have spent significant amounts on advertising attacking Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris for her previous support of transgender rights. Trump’s rally speeches now include a video mocking trans people, drawing loud boos from his supporters. The former president has made false claims about female athletes and spread misinformation about children undergoing sex change operations after going to school.
During a recent rally at Madison Square Garden, Trump drew cheers from his supporters by promising to remove “transgender insanity” from schools and keep men out of women’s sports. His running mate, JD Vance, suggested that white teenagers might identify as transgender to gain an advantage in elite university admissions. Trump’s attacks on the LGBTQ community have become more frequent as the election approaches, as part of a strategy to energize his base and appeal to moderate voters. He has also emphasized his own version of hyper-masculinity, including making derogatory comments about CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who is gay.
Despite Trump’s attacks, Vice President Kamala Harris has largely ignored them and pushed back on his mischaracterization of her stances on transgender rights. Harris clarified that policies allowing transgender individuals in the military to access gender-affirming medical care were in place during Trump’s presidency. She criticized Trump for focusing on divisive culture war issues instead of addressing more pressing concerns like the economy. Polling data suggests a divided public opinion on transgender rights, with many Americans holding conflicting views on gender identity and LGBTQ rights.
Civil rights advocates are concerned about the impact of a potential second Trump administration on LGBTQ rights and the security of transgender individuals. Trump has pledged to target transgender people if re-elected, proposing a ban on hormonal or surgical interventions for transgender minors. LGBTQ advocacy groups have criticized Trump’s approach, highlighting the vulnerability of transgender individuals in society. Writer Charlotte Clymer expressed how demoralizing it is for transgender people to see themselves portrayed negatively in Trump’s campaign ads, which have aired extensively in battleground states.
Trump’s campaign has spent millions on ads featuring statements made by Harris in 2019 affirming support for federal policies allowing transgender prisoners access to medical care. The ads aim to portray Harris as supporting an extreme “they-them” agenda, drawing attention to her stance on transgender rights. At his rallies, Trump uses emotional appeals and generalizations to criticize LGBTQ issues, often blaming military leaders for being “woke.” The campaign messaging underscores a broader narrative of a national identity crisis, with Trump and his supporters challenging progressive ideologies like “wokeism” and transgender rights. Despite the divisive rhetoric, Harris and her campaign team remain focused on promoting a vision that resonates with a broader range of voters beyond the culture war battleground.
