There was no widespread “problem” until Republican leaders created one. Historically, most people didn’t pay much attention to trans people, allowing us to live our lives. It wasn’t until political leaders amplified fear and hate that hostility became prominent.
Two years ago the LA Blade wrote;
New NORC/LA Times poll shows support for protecting trans access to medical care & 77% think politicians use trans as a distractionBy Special to the LA Blade, Erin ReedJune 7, 2024A new poll released by NORC and the Los Angeles Times reveals that 77% of U.S. citizens believe politicians are using debates over transgender and nonbinary people as a distraction from more pressing priorities.The same poll finds that majorities oppose forced outing laws for transgender youth. A slim majority indicated their support for protecting access to gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth when their parents and doctors feel those treatments are appropriate, though results were somewhat mixed depending on how the question was worded.These numbers align with several recent polls indicating that while some people may have nuanced opinions on transgender issues, Americans do not view these concerns as worthy of lawmakers’ attention.Seventy-seven percent of respondents agreed with the statement, “Elected officials are mostly using debates over transgender and nonbinary people to distract attention from more pressing priorities.”
In short: Americans largely just want to live their lives. Trans issues are not a priority for most voters — the political obsession comes from leaders, not the public. Earlier this year the 19th wrote,
A new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll shows that the number of people who don’t want politicians to focus on trans issues has grown, fueled by both Republicans and Democrats.By Jasmine MithaniApril 28, 2025President Donald Trump has taken aim at trans people during his first 100 days in office in his second term. He has sought to restrict access to accurate passports, erase the accomplishments of trans elders, remove transgender members from the military and purge the government of what he has termed “woke gender ideology.” But a new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll shows that 49 percent of Americans think politicians should not be focusing on transgender issues at all.It’s a rise from before the election, when 43 percent of Americans said they believed politicians should not focus on trans issues, versus protecting trans rights or restricting gender-affirming care. In 2023, the figure was 44 percent.Democrats and Independents are less likely than they were in September to think politicians should be protecting transgender rights, and 42 percent of Democrats think politicians should not focus on trans issues — up from 33 percent last year.More Republicans also think politicians shouldn’t focus on trans issues — 57 percent vs 53 percent last year — and the number who think lawmakers should concentrate on restricting transgender rights has fallen.Overall, despite the Trump administration’s attempts to erase trans people from public life, the majority of Americans (59 percent) support the right of transgender adults to access gender-affirming care. However, fewer Americans, 43 percent, support the right of trans youth to seek such care. That doesn’t necessarily translate into a desire for bans. In fact, 55 percent opposed laws that would restrict gender-affirming care for minors, including 41 percent of Republicans and 57 percent of Independents.
Almost half the population didn't have a problem with us until Trump instilled it. Why? Data For Progress wrote;
Over the last year, Data for Progress has consistently found that voters see the economy, jobs, and inflation as the most important issue for them when deciding which candidate to vote for — while LGBTQ+ issues trail far behind as a motivating factor in vote choice.In this survey, the overwhelming majority of voters (80%) agree that “both Democrats and Republicans should spend less time talking about transgender issues and more time talking about voters' priority issues like the economy and inflation.”However, when considering issues related to transgender people, a majority of voters (52%) trust the Democratic Party more than the Republican Party to handle them — a +23-point margin, including a +17-point margin among Independents.
Then why are the Republicans attacking us all the time?
You/Gov wrote that the, "Lawmakers are spending too much time on transgender issues. 52% of Americans think too much focus is put on transgender issues, including similar shares of Democrats (53%) and Republicans (51%). Only 13% of Americans, including small shares of both parties, believe lawmakers are focusing too little on these issues?
In short: Americans largely just want to live their lives. Trans issues are not a priority for most voters — the political obsession comes from leaders, not the public. The lies have an effect on us and the voters. I asked ChatGPT about that and it wrote,
🧠 Bottom lineWords from leaders absolutely hurt. Lies and fear-mongering:
- Increase violence and harassment
- Lead to discrimination
- Harm mental health and increase suicidal risk
- Undermine safety and trust
- Shape policies that make life harder for trans people
This isn’t abstract — it’s supported by data from mental health organizations, anti-bullying research, and civil rights groups.
Remember, every time our rights have come to a vote in a referendum we have won!
Massachusetts (2022), we won!Colorado (2022), we won!Oregon (2014), we won, the ballot measure was going to strip all LGBT Rights from us.
When political leaders repeatedly lie about a marginalized group, they legitimize prejudice and embolden people who were already inclined to harass or harm others. The facts are on our side, but lies have real effects — on safety, well-being, and public perception.
