Lisa Turner Publishes Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Blade
LPAC Executive Director Lisa Turner recently published an op-ed in The Los Angeles Blade.
Think twice about attacking Trans individuals this election cycle
On May 25, 2022 Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law which requires students at public schools to use restrooms and locker rooms that match the sex listed on their birth certificates.
This is the second anti-transgender law passed in Oklahoma just this year, and is one of the latest examples of an avalanche of state-level legislation targeting the rights of LGBTQ and transgender Americans. More than 320 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country since 2021.
The situation has turned dark in Ohio, where a bill was passed in the State House that would not only ban transgender girls and women from participating in high school or college athletics, but also includes a “verification” provision which would allow authorities to examine the genitals of student athletes suspected of being transgender.
This comes on the heels of anti-transgender legislation becoming the law of the land in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Iowa, South Dakota, and Utah, among others. In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem even went so far as to run a national television ad touting her “leadership” on the issue.
These attacks on transgender rights have also taken the form of executive action. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has instructed state agencies to investigate the parents of transgender youth for child abuse. His directive also requires teachers, doctors, and nurses to report the parents of transgender kids or risk losing their professional licenses. While this executive order in Texas has been temporarily stayed by a Federal court, governors in other states have already indicated they plan to take similar actions.
The average person who sees news about laws or policies about transgender participation in sports or youth healthcare may think they seem reasonable, but these bills and policies are not reasonable, and are dangerously extreme.
Conservative elected officials are using the rights of transgender youth as a wedge issue to divide voters and rile up their base. It is not surprising that the most recent and vocal governors signing anti-transgender legislation have Presidential aspirations. So, will it work?
LPAC Action Network recently took the unprecedent approach of studying the attitudes of registered voters, both nationwide and in swing Congressional districts, when it comes to transgender rights and legislation. This study, conducted in partnership with Lake Research Partners and consisting of focus groups and polling, shows that the public disagrees with this wedge.
Among the key findings:
A majority of voters are concerned about discrimination and bias towards transgender people.
A plurality of voters say they are more likely to support a candidate who stands up for transgender rights and inclusivity.
Voters strongly identify with pro-equality values like freedom, respect, trust, opportunity, and belonging.
After seeing messaging rooted in those values, even more voters, a majority of 56%, say they are more likely to support a candidate who stands up for transgender rights and inclusivity. Even a plurality of 38% of Republicans say they are more likely to support pro-transgender candidates.
Beyond public opinion, these actions targeting transgender youth are morally bankrupt. On the whole, transgender girls do not have an advantage in athletics. Transgender girls have been legally allowed to compete in women’s sports in California for almost ten years, to almost no controversy. And transgender children who in consultation with their parents and medical professionals receive gender-affirming care are simply receiving healthcare, they are not being abused. It is true, however, that transgender youth are uniquely vulnerable. They are more than twice as likely as their peers to report being bullied, and more than four times more likely to have attempted suicide. Bills and policies like these only further isolate and distress transgender youth.
If restrictions on transgender children’s ability to compete in sports or access healthcare is not addressing actual societal issues, we must ask ourselves, what purpose do they serve? Who thinks they benefit? The answer seems clear: conservative politicians.
There is a lot of pain in our country right now, especially among those of us who value human rights and freedom, due to the choice conservative politicians have made to target transgender people. It doesn’t have to be this way and it shouldn’t be this way. Our research shows advocates of equality can push back on this divisive, harmful, and dangerous strategy. And history, whether it be the example of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell or marriage amendments, shows that in the long-term attacks on equality are ultimately counterproductive.
Elected officials who target transgender people are doing untold harm to their own constituents. Morality, civility, and the well-being of children demands they stop. But if that isn’t enough, hopefully political reality will make a difference.
Original Published in The LA Blade,
June 14, 2022