COLUMBIA, S.C. ā Thousands of people in one of South Carolinaās most conservative counties roared when Donald TrumpĀ promised to cut federal funding on āDay 1ā for schools pushing what he called ātransgender insanityā onto children.
āAnd I canāt even believe I have to say it, but I do have to say it,ā Trump told the crowd this month. āI will keep men out of womenās sports.ā
The former president has repeatedly mocked transgender people during his campaign, using language about gender identity that LGBTQ+ advocates say is wrong and harmful. Others in the GOP field have attacked transgender participation in athletics and proposed nationwide bans on affirming care for transgender minors.
Transgender-related issues have become perhaps the biggest rallying call to Christian conservatives, more thanĀ abortion rightsĀ or same-sex marriage. That shift worries advocates who note transgender people are already disproportionatelyĀ prone to stress, depression and suicidal behavior when forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth.
āRepublicans might be overplaying their hand as a political matter. As an ethical matter, I think itās gross,ā said Tim Miller, a former Republican political operative who worked as communications director for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bushās 2016 presidential campaign.
The Alliance for Full Acceptanceās executive director, Chase Glenn, a transgender man, called it ādehumanizingā to have his existence politicized.
āItās really disgusting that these politicians think they can use trans people, and more specifically trans youth, as a political tool to win points,ā he said.
Many RepublicansĀ have been angeredĀ by how gender is sometimes discussed, part of a broader backlash against what conservatives see as a liberal tide in classrooms. Several people interviewed at a recent Trump rally argued children were being wrongly confronted with issues of gender identity.
āWe shouldnāt have to think about it,ā said Cheryl Savage, 59, of Conway. āWe need to take care of our kids, right from schools, all the way up.ā
GOP-controlled state legislatures have recentlyĀ moved to dictate many facets of transgender life. At least 22 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for minors. Bills governing school pronoun usage, sports team membership and bathroom access are back this year, as are efforts to restrict drag performances.
In South Carolina, one of the few Southern states without such health restrictions, the Republican-led Senate is considering a House-passedĀ bill to ban gender-affirming careĀ for minors. Opponents stretched the light pink, baby blue and white stripes of the transgender flag across the Statehouse steps this year to protest the measure.
Both Trump and Nikki Haley, his last major rival heading into South Carolinaās Republican primary this coming Saturday, have leaned into anti-transgender rhetoric.
Haley, a former South Carolina governor and Trumpās U.N. ambassador, frequently emphasizes to the āgirl dadsā in her home-state crowds that they cannot raise āstrong womenā if there are ābiological boys playing in girls sports.ā She has described the idea of ābiological boys playing in girls sportsā as the āwomenās issue of our time.ā
Trump, at an October event in Iowa, said transgender athletes were āvery demeaning to women.ā He went on to pantomime a young weightlifter struggling to heave heavy barbells as easily as her competitors āwho transitioned.ā He often repeats the act at rallies, sometimes adding that his wife, former first lady Melania Trump, tells him his impression isnāt presidential.
Research into the fairnessĀ of transgender-inclusive competitions is lacking. Virtually nonexistent are studies determining whether transgender athletes hold clear advantages over cisgender participants.
Trump has promised to pursue a range of other anti-transgender policies if he wins a second White House term. Proposals include banning federal money for any hospital that provides gender-affirming care to minors, ordering federal agencies to end any programs that promote sex or gender transition, and pushing Congress to ban chemical or surgical intervention for minors.
Thatās despite endorsements from major medical groups, including the American Medical Association and theĀ American Academy of Pediatrics, of transgender youth care as safe when administered properly.
Transgender people make up 5 of every 1,000 adults and 14 of every 1,000 youth age 13 to 17 in the United States, according to a June 2022Ā report from a UCLA Law think tankĀ that researches public policy around sexual orientation and gender identity.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has repeatedly delayed a new Title IX rule that would prohibit federally funded colleges from adopting āone-size-fits-allā policies categorically banning transgender student-athletes from playing on teams consistent with their gender identity. Such restrictions are in effect in about 20 states.
Data from Republican elections this year and interviews with Republican voters indicate the issue resonates with many in the GOP.
According to AP VoteCast, about three-quarters of Iowa Republican caucus participants said their local public K-8 schools are teaching ātoo muchā about either gender identity or sexual orientation. In New Hampshire, 7 in 10 Republican primary voters said ātoo muchā is being taught about gender identity in local elementary and middle schools.
Chad Connelly, the Republican National Committeeās former director of faith engagement who now runs an organization that politically mobilizes evangelical pastors, said many congregations are motivated by issues such as banning gender-affirming care for minors.
