Conservatives are obsessed with LGBTQ+ people and have spent the last few years targeting the transgender community. Once they realized that most people actually support gay rights, they needed to target a new group to stoke fear and hatred. They have, in a way, forced people to “care” about this issue. The fact is, conservatives are demonizing the trans community because they have no real plans or policy proposals to help people. But do Americans actually care about these so-called culture wars?
Listening to conservative pundits gives key insight into what Republican communities and voters may be thinking. I keep thinking of the chicken and the egg analogy, though, wondering if these commentators influence the voters or if voters influence commentators. I am sure it’s a mix of both, but it is clear that right-wing pundits are stoking the flames of transphobia.
The Daily Wire commentator Michael Knowles is saying the quiet part out loud. He put out a video saying that GOP candidates should focus on trans kids and not those pesky “bread and butter, dinner table issues.” It’s clear that the modern Republican party relies on these culture wars to fire up their base. I often argue with my liberal colleagues because I believe people voted for Trump because he is a disgusting bigot and not in spite of it. Here, Knowles is openly admitting that targeting trans kids is a political strategy. And Republicans are betting that this strategy will drive voters to the polls, which is the ultimate goal.
Is this true though? In a Fox News poll from April, “transgender issues” was way down on the list of the most important issues facing the country, with only 1% choosing it as the most pressing concern. The most pressing issues voters cared about included the economy, national security, gun control, climate change, and many more! So how do we get this incongruence? It seems like the pundits are trying to control the narrative and thus, the population/voters. Deep down, they know that Republicans are not good on the economy. I actually think Democrats need to do more to discuss how good of a job Biden’s administration has done on this front. The media also needs to do a better job, instead of just parroting Republican talking points. Helping the economy isn’t as sexy as some of the crazier stories out there, but it is important that Americans can see that Democrats are at least trying to help the average person and Republicans are not. Knowles’ declaration is telling because it could cause GOP candidates to face the music. They have been pretending to care about inflation and jobs, but they also seem to spend a lot of time creating these cultural divides, particularly Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. If confronted with Knowles’ views directly, how will they respond? Will they dare admit that trans kids aren’t the boogeyman!? What about the school policies then!? What about the book bans!?
It will be interesting to watch this strategy play out for Republicans. I do not expect certain candidates to put LGBTQ+ issues at the forefront of their campaigns. But if you’re someone like DeSantis, who has proudly proclaimed Florida as the state “Where wokeness goes to die”, can you run from these issues and stick to economic talking points? I think this will be hard for Republicans to do. Plus, that was only April. The GOP can continue to rile up ridiculous fear in their voters! That way, they won’t have to give detailed economic policies or talk about how many of them seem perfectly content if Ukraine falls to Russia (scary).
Author and critic Jeet Heer went after Knowles, tweeting, “This [is] politically bankrupt and morally depraved. The only partial consolation is that it will also backfire electorally.” First, I appreciate the language used; Heer should work in communications for the Democrats! Calling out pundits like Knowles as politically bankrupt and morally depraved really speaks to me. These aren’t just individuals spouting bad policy; they are often also just bad people. Attacking trans youth, some of the most vulnerable and marginalized people in the country, for political gain is just egregious. Hopefully, this transphobia will backfire electorally!
(featured image: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
