Well, the Democratic party’s anti-trans heel turn that many people have long expected may finally be upon us. After years of trying to bully trans constituents and their allies on the left into accepting more anti-trans candidates—particularly in red and purple states—many major candidates broke to the right last week, coming out against a variety of trans freedoms.
We also don’t want to normalize transphobia in the Democratic party. I’ll vote blue no matter who, but my non-trans allies also need to call these candidates and threaten them with, “I want to vote for you, but I can’t abide your anti-trans rhetoric.” Let them know their efforts to attract centrists could result in “a repeat of 2 years ago.”
Because just voting in favor of transphobes without that feedback emboldens them to make bigger and bolder promises to keep up with the conservatives’ constant ratcheting to the right.
The feedback comes from your voting actions. If you say I don’t support what you and doing and still support them it is confirmation to continue doing what they are doing.
Feedback cannot come exclusively from voting actions, because people can vote for whatever they want for any reason they want. Without dialogue with my representatives, they have no idea if I skipped voting because of their policies, because I thought they had a dumb haircut, or because I got high and forgot it was Tuesday.
Trans people will only survive this assault on their right to exist if allies make their voices heard. Not just anonymous ballots, but calling reps or meeting them at events. Look your representative in the eye and make them explain to you why they support policies that hurt your community. Democracy can’t just be a thing you do one day per year and then cross your fingers on: dialogue and engagement are what change minds.
That’s all wonderful for what should and could be. But the fact of the matter is we do only have one or two days a year.
Stay home or throw away your votes at your own peril
What? No, that’s my point. Democracy is a full-time gig. You should be talking to friends and neighbors about what’s important to you. You should be contacting your representatives. Mine regularly host town halls where I can go downtown and yell at them on a microphone, and it’s great. If all you do is vote, then you better be perfectly aligned with your rep’s views, or your just going unheard and unrepresented.
what do most people do? Are most people making politics a full time gig?
We’re all busy with our actual full time gigs.