The Democrats must defend trans people

Defending trans people is obviously morally just and ethical. Beyond that it is tactically the correct thing to do because the GOP is going to say the same thing about Democrats no matter what. Politicians can either respond with a self-destructive and awful 'well my opponent has some points' or make the strong and correct point: 'look at this hateful shit'

Republicans are reprising a key attack line from last year’s presidential race for elections this year and next – betting that anti-trans messaging will help them counter Democrats running on GOP-led cuts to Medicaid and other parts of Trump’s policy megabill. via CNN

I don't understand mainstream Democrats who go after 'well maybe they have a point' in exchange for nothing. Even if pol strategy has totally infested your brain, and you are an abject cynic with no moral core, it's basic politics that you're supposed to get something out of compromise. They get nothing by doing this!

Not only is it true that the Dems going anti-trans is morally & ethically wrong; it also fractures their strongest points on bodily autonomy, privacy, public healthcare and the value of the government. Democrats who throw trans people under the bus are now easy to show as hypocritical on every strong point on their own platform

Meanwhile, the weird obsession with trans kids is the easiest point of attack on the GOP: what about personal liberty; respect for our veterans, the military, blue collar workers; and having kids go about their day without adults harassing them? All massive and easy points of attack if you support trans rights.

If you want to yank libertarians from the GOP voter-base all you have to do is talk about how bodily and personal autonomy should be a government protected right. Or campus free speech for trans folks.

Dems are never going to be hateful enough to out-message the right on anti-trans bullshit but it doesn't matter, we should not have to make a tactics argument about why American politicians should defend basic human rights of their own trans citizens. It is obviously the right thing to do on every vector. Support trans people. Support trans rights. Keep hands off trans kids.

I know this is maybe the 10th major thing Dems have pulled this exact bs on, but 'my opponent's points are fundamentally correct' is terrible strategy! This is the fate of the free world, not stand up; you don't have to--and absolutely should strive to avoid--playing "yes-and" with the fascists!

I'm generally against political litmus tests, but if you can't understand that trans rights are basic human rights you should be pushed out of the party. Your position undercuts every piece of an even marginally left platform!

Anti-trans Democrats are more destructive to a left-wing political effort than the opposition. They're worse than the opposition because once you're willing to throw one group's human rights under the table you're just marching the path to fking fascism already and you're just taking us there via a million cuts that are harder to see and more difficult to fight instead.

This is the base, bottom, table stakes of being left of Nazis. The most basic possible position. WTF are the Dems doing. I'm a straight cis dude. I'm not here to tell trans people what to do. But the rest of us should be capable of understanding the fundamental stakes, and do the right thing.

I can't believe the NRA understands that trans rights are just the leading edge of everyone's rights better than the Democratic Party does.

That the NRA recognizes that attacking a minority within their movement makes them weaker to future attacks and that the establishment Dems have not pieced that together means we are truly in the most cursed timeline.

• via Kendra "Gloom is My Beat" Pierre-Louis

Oh my god, Trump actually got the NRA to come out to defend trans people owning a gun.

• via Alejandra Caraballo