‘I’m a Black Gay Guy,’ Viral Tweet om Pa. GOP Candidate Leads to Social Media Mystery – NBC10 Philalphia

gay republican candidate

  • Home
  • gay republican candidate

Recent Posts

GAY BERLIN BIRTHPLACE OF A MODERN IDENTITYDecember 12, 2024
GAY BED AND BREAKFAST GRAN CANARIADecember 12, 2024
YOUNG GAY SKATEDecember 12, 2024
AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR IS GEORGE GAYDecember 12, 2024
BEST GAY BEACHES PORTUGALDecember 12, 2024
KING SPA GAYDecember 12, 2024
GAY DOMINATION MOVIESDecember 12, 2024
GAY JOHORDecember 12, 2024
FURRY GAY XVIDEOSDecember 12, 2024
GAY DATING NORTHUMBERLANDDecember 12, 2024

Tags

Rep. Ken Calvert, who has opposed gay rights and once attacked an opponent for beg gay, is facg a challenge om a gay Democrat a newly petive district.

Contents:

FIRST OPENLY GAY REPUBLIN ELECTED TO HOE WON LI SEAT WH ‘MON SENSE’ MSAGE

Reprentative Ken Calvert, a long-servg Republin, is facg a tough re-electn race a redrawn district that now clus Palm Sprgs, proclaimed to be the gayt cy Ameri. * gay republican candidate *

The supreme urt’s landmark abortn lg immediately wiped away abortn rights for lns of Amerins, but tucked away Clarence Thomas’s ncurrg opn on the se was another threat: to the rights of LGBTQ+ people across the his opn, wrten to acpany the Roe v Wa cisn, Thomas, part of the ntrollg bal of rightwg jtic, suggted that the urt should “rensir” the right to same-sex relatnships and same-sex marriage, which was legalized natnwi the face of fears that the urt will now lead a charge agast LGBTQ+ rights – and growg far-right vlence agast LGBTQ+ targets – a rerd number of LGBTQ+ ndidat are nng for US Congrs least 101 LGBTQ+ people ran for US Congrs 2022, acrdg to LGBTQ Victory Fund, a natnal anizatn dited to electg openly LGBTQ+ people to all levels of 57 ndidat are still their rac, wh advot hopg greater reprentatn uld brg tangible change Washgton, after a year when gay and trans people have been creasgly persecuted by rightwg policians the McLeod-Skner is one of the LGBTQ+ ndidat hopg to make a difference the US Hoe of Reprentativ.

”Balt, a former lear of the Vermont senate, supports universal healthre and says she would ph for the passage of the Equaly Act, which would place a feral ban on discrimatn based on sexual orientatn or genr inty public spac and feral Garcia, who is nng California, would also break new ground: as the first openly gay immigrant elected to Congrs. Garcia, who was born Pe, won the Democratic primary June, and has a strong chance of beg elected wave of LGBTQ+ ndidat as Republins have phed, and passed, bills targetg gay and transgenr who support equal rights for LGBTQ+ people will have their work cut out if Republins do aim their fire at same-sex marriage.

This week Texas Republins unveiled their 2022 party platform, which f homosexualy as an “abnormal liftyle choice” and says the party would “oppose all efforts to validate transgenr inty”’s a Republin mpaign that has amounted to an alarmg rise anti-trans and anti-gay speech over the past year, wh three hate-filled cints occurrg jt over the past March Ron DeSantis, the Florida ernor who is nsired a ontnner for the Republin party’s printial nomatn 2024, signed a ntroversial “don’t say gay” bill that prevents teachers om discsg sexual orientatn or genr inty public schools. This month DeSantis moved to ban transn re for transgenr youth, and this week suggted he may orr Florida’s child protective servic to vtigate parents who take their children to drag policians and rightwg media figur have spread li and misrmatn about gay and trans people attemptg to groom this climate, the supreme urt’s suggtn that the Obergefell se, which enshred the right to same-sex marriage, be revised, has advot for equal rights on edge. ”Heather Mizr, who fac a Democratic primary July, would bee the first out LGBTQ+ member of Congrs om Maryland if she is elected to the ndidat, if succsful, would jo ne openly LGBTQ+ members of the Hoe and two senators, all of whom are Democrats, and uld bolster gay and trans rights at a time when they are unr severe threat.

‘I'M A BLACK GAY GUY,' VIRAL TWEET OM PA. GOP CANDIDATE LEADS TO SOCIAL MEDIA MYSTERY

Many gay nservativ, an unexpected segment of the Republin Party, are still backg him. * gay republican candidate *

More about Sheryl Gay StolbergA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 15 of the New York edn wh the headle: Kennedy Deni Bigotry After Conspiratorial Vio. Santos will bee the first openly gay Republin elected to the Hoe — a handful of other ndidat me out after they were elected.

But one LGBT activist argued was a “disgrace” for an out gay person to align himself wh the Republin Party that has fought agast gay rights. Kennedy has claimed that fluoridated water is “dggg” children, HIV do not e Aids and chemils the water are makg people gay or transgenr as well as phg nonsensil nspiracy theori about wifi and 5G cellular the son of former attorney general Robert Kennedy, and nephew of former print John F Kennedy, Kennedy has ed anguish to one of Ameri’s most storied polil dynasti wh his toxic 2019 three relativ wrote an opn lumn for the Poli webse nmng his anti-vacce advocy, which they held partially rponsible for a measl Congrsnal Integry Project ntends that Kennedy is a “Republin stooge” who is beg embraced by the far right an attempt to damage Bin.

Voters Could Sway a Key Hoe RaceReprentative Ken Calvert, a long-servg Republin, is facg a tough re-electn race a redrawn district that now clus Palm Sprgs, proclaimed to be the gayt cy Perez for The New York TimPublished Sept.

GAY REPUBLINS EXPLA WHY THEY ARE PROUDLY SUPPORTG DONALD TMP

Three gay Republins nng for Congrs are featurg their signifint others mpaign ads, a sign of how quickly views are changg on same-sex marriage. * gay republican candidate *

But a redrawn polil map the state has rhaped his district this year, addg Palm Sprgs, a liberal bastn that rints proclaim to be the gayt cy Ameri. The new district l have put his seat at risk as he fac off agast an openly gay Democrat, Will Rolls, a former feral shift has ma Mr.

” Perez for The New York Perez for The New York TimThe cy was known s early days as a retreat for Hollywood celebri, and later beme home to thoands of gay men who reloted there durg the AIDS epimic for the warm climate, affordable hog and accs to health re.

GAY G.O.P. CANDIDAT FEATURE PARTNERS ADS

* gay republican candidate *

It is now the epome of ksch and rich, wh s midcentury archecture, pastel pk at every rner and a lively Gardner, a lol bs owner and chef who is gay, said he was moved by the fluence that his muny has the electn. He cled to be Williams/CQ Roll Call, via Associated PrsDpe the turnabout, he may have an uphill slog to earn the backg of the gay and lbian voters his new district, many of whom have bter memori of the last time Mr.

US ELECTS FIRST TRANS STATE SENATOR AND FIRST BLACK GAY NGRSMAN

Takano won electn to reprent a different Hoe district California, beg the first openly gay person of Asian scent to serve Congrs. Overall, the numbers of registered Democrats and Republins the district were roughly even as of Perez for The New York Perez for The New York Tim“Palm Sprgs alone isn’t gog to w this mpaign, ” said Matt Rexroad, a Sacramento-based Republin polil Rolls, 37, whose work as a feral prosecutor foced on unterterrorism and untertelligence, has not ma gay rights the ma thst of his mpaign, one he said he cid to unrtake after the Jan.

‘A REAL TWIST’: GOP NGRSMAN WH ANTI-LGBTQ PAST TRI TO W OVER GAY PALM SPRGS VOTERS

Calvert for the first time last quarter, acrdg to Feral Electn Commissn Bat, 22, a newer who said he recently moved to Palm Sprgs for “the vibe” and bee he felt safe there as a gay man, said he was uncid the ngrsnal race but would not support a ndidate backed by Mr. Ovier Alvarez, a 33-year-old gay man who scribed himself as a nservative-leang pennt, also said he had yet to choose between the two ndidat. Those listed below are Democrats except for Gee Santos, a gay Republin nng agast a gay on for more rmatn about this diverse group.

IT’S OFFICIAL! GAY REPUBLIN RUNNG FOR PRINT

Rchie Torr ma history 2020 as the first gay Ao-Latx person elected to Congrs and one of two Black gay men elected to the body (the other was fellow New Yorker Mondaire Jon, who lost the Democratic primary his own district this year). A gay man, he's endorsed by Victory Fund and is beg challenged by Republin Erik Olsen and pennt Douglas urty of Victory Fund. Redistrictg placed cumbent Republin Ken Calvert the district, and Calvert has been tryg to downplay his homophobic rerd.

Gee Santos, a gay man, is a Republin nng agast gay Democrat Robert Zimmerman New York's Third Congrsnal District, loted on Long Island. Jimmy Abrooks, a gay man who works as a mental health unselor, is seekg to bee the first out member of Kentucky's ngrsnal legatn.

CALIFORNIA’S OPENLY GAY NDIDATE IS NO DARLG OF LGBT TABLISHMENT

Erick Rsell, a gay Democrat nng for Connecticut treasurer, stands to bee the first Black out LGBTQ+ statewi elected official the natn.

Michael Pieciak, a gay man who has held appoted posns overseeg surance and fance Vermont, is seekg to bee state treasurer; he and Connecticut's Erick Rsell would be the first out members of the LGBTQ+ muny to bee state treasurers.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE

Live</tle><rect width="39" height="22" rx="3" fill="#CB1111"></rect><path d="M5.756 5.66H8.186V15.002H12.506V17H5.756V5.66ZM13.5783 5.66H16.0083V17H13.5783V5.66ZM22.5198 17H20.0718L16.7958 5.66H19.2798L21.3498 13.31H21.4218L23.5098 5.66H25.7958L22.5198 17ZM33.3901 15.002V17H26.5861V5.66H33.3541V7.658H28.9621V10.25H32.3101V12.212H28.9621V15.002H33.3901Z" fill="whe"></path></svg></span>on<span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_news-now-img__961yW"><svg width="144" height="16" viewBox="0 0 144 16" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>NBC News Now</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3686_260016)"><path d="M143.711 12.9351H106.432V15.7204H143.711V12.9351Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M138.308 11.0828H141.078L143.924 0.253418H141.218L139.725 6.7182H139.678L138.044 0.253418H135.417L133.77 6.7182H133.708L132.215 0.253418H129.276L132.114 11.0828H135.005L136.655 4.66263H136.747L138.308 11.0828Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M120.534 5.67944C120.534 3.79098 121.713 2.45958 123.394 2.45958C125.074 2.45958 126.254 3.76034 126.254 5.67944C126.254 7.59855 125.072 8.89651 123.394 8.89651C121.716 8.89651 120.534 7.59576 120.534 5.67944ZM123.394 11.3253C126.814 11.3253 129.206 8.89652 129.206 5.67944C129.206 2.46237 126.828 0.0307617 123.394 0.0307617C119.959 0.0307617 117.578 2.45958 117.578 5.67944C117.578 8.8993 119.956 11.3253 123.394 11.3253V11.3253Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M113.118 11.0827H116.427V0.250488H113.625V6.71528H113.564L109.74 0.250488H106.429V11.0827H109.23V4.61234H109.294L113.118 11.0827Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M93.1764 3.4594C93.1764 1.43446 94.8964 0 97.608 0C99.9219 0 101.706 1.11414 102.169 2.87169L99.6474 3.4594C99.3672 2.60987 98.6557 2.15308 97.6613 2.15308C96.7368 2.15308 96.0757 2.54581 96.0757 3.26721C96.0757 5.42029 102.423 3.07224 102.423 7.70427C102.423 9.85734 100.572 11.2946 97.9414 11.2946C94.9664 11.2946 93.1147 9.98825 92.5181 7.70427L95.0981 7.31432C95.2562 7.86892 95.5951 8.35559 96.0616 8.69791C96.5281 9.04022 97.0957 9.21879 97.6753 9.20557C98.7958 9.20557 99.5269 8.68471 99.5269 7.96609C99.5353 5.7406 93.1764 8.09143 93.1764 3.4594Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M85.7161 4.61826H85.6489L84.0157 11.083H81.1051L78.2422 0.248047H81.22L82.7411 6.70726H82.8055L84.4583 0.248047H87.1055L88.7583 6.70726H88.8227L90.3439 0.248047H93.0555L90.2122 11.083H87.4361L85.7161 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M77.4499 0.248047V2.53203H71.7633V4.42328H76.2453V6.70726H71.7633V8.79627H77.5815V11.083H68.9199V0.248047H77.4499Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M60.5243 4.61826L60.4571 11.083H57.6138V0.248047H60.9193L64.7543 6.70726H64.8215V0.248047H67.6649V11.083H64.3593L60.5243 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M42.5679 5.67658C42.5679 2.35087 44.8818 0.0668945 48.2545 0.0668945C50.899 0.0668945 52.8823 1.43728 53.6779 3.78532L50.9662 4.30619C50.7735 3.76474 50.4145 3.29724 49.94 2.96983C49.4654 2.64242 48.8993 2.47169 48.3218 2.48178C46.6018 2.48178 45.5429 3.72126 45.5429 5.67658C45.5429 7.63189 46.6634 8.87416 48.3218 8.87416C48.8996 8.88405 49.466 8.71291 49.9406 8.38498C50.4152 8.05704 50.774 7.58894 50.9662 7.04697L53.6106 7.57062C52.7506 9.98273 50.899 11.289 48.2545 11.289C44.8818 11.289 42.5679 8.941 42.5679 5.67658Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M32.4521 0.248047H37.741C40.1221 0.248047 41.6433 1.16164 41.6433 3.24786C41.6452 3.75624 41.4774 4.25089 41.1661 4.65418C40.8548 5.05747 40.4177 5.34658 39.9232 5.47614V5.5402C40.9821 5.73796 41.9066 6.52064 41.9066 8.01916C41.9066 10.1722 40.3855 11.083 38.0072 11.083H32.4521V0.248047ZM35.3627 4.49012H37.2788C38.3993 4.49012 38.7999 4.2283 38.7999 3.50968C38.7999 2.79107 38.3377 2.53203 37.2788 2.53203H35.3627V4.49012ZM35.3627 6.51229V8.79627H37.346C38.5366 8.79627 39.0632 8.4676 39.0632 7.68214C39.0632 6.89667 38.5366 6.568 37.346 6.568H35.3627V6.51229Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M24.054 4.61826L23.984 11.083H21.1406V0.248047H24.449L28.284 6.70726H28.3484V0.248047H31.1917V11.083H27.8862L24.054 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M16.9526 7.11688C16.5767 7.10716 16.2056 7.20323 15.8822 7.39403L10.6504 11.0274H16.9526C17.473 11.0274 17.9721 10.8219 18.3401 10.456C18.7081 10.09 18.9149 9.59378 18.9149 9.07631C18.9149 8.55884 18.7081 8.06257 18.3401 7.69667C17.9721 7.33076 17.473 7.12519 16.9526 7.12519V7.11688Z" fill="#0DB14B"></path><path d="M10.8291 10.1962L16.5432 6.29952C16.7602 6.16158 16.9478 5.98248 17.0953 5.77245C17.2427 5.56242 17.3471 5.32557 17.4025 5.07542C17.4579 4.82527 17.4632 4.56673 17.4181 4.31455C17.373 4.06237 17.2784 3.82147 17.1397 3.60565C17.0009 3.38983 16.8208 3.20329 16.6096 3.05669C16.3983 2.91008 16.1601 2.80626 15.9086 2.75119C15.657 2.69611 15.3969 2.69085 15.1433 2.73569C14.8897 2.78054 14.6474 2.87463 14.4304 3.01257C14.109 3.20856 13.8499 3.49107 13.6833 3.82738L10.8291 10.1962Z" fill="#0089CF"></path><path d="M12.5989 0.249348C12.8333 0.357094 13.0439 0.510047 13.2185 0.699339C13.393 0.88863 13.528 1.1105 13.6156 1.35206C13.7033 1.59363 13.7418 1.85008 13.729 2.10657C13.7162 2.36306 13.6523 2.61446 13.541 2.84621L10.8206 8.79378L9.93701 3.17879C9.90412 3.02045 9.93406 2.85561 10.0206 2.71873C10.238 2.3917 10.7843 2.13396 10.7815 2.09793C10.7788 2.0619 10.7286 1.98984 10.5028 1.98984H9.78369C9.79649 1.71105 9.86569 1.43769 9.98716 1.1861C10.0955 0.952999 10.2494 0.743609 10.4397 0.570069C10.6301 0.396529 10.8533 0.262295 11.0962 0.175156C11.3392 0.0880165 11.5971 0.04971 11.855 0.0624465C12.113 0.0751829 12.3658 0.138705 12.5989 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#645FAA"></path><path d="M6.41914 0.249348C6.1847 0.357094 5.97407 0.510047 5.79954 0.699339C5.625 0.88863 5.49 1.1105 5.40236 1.35206C5.31472 1.59363 5.27621 1.85008 5.28902 2.10657C5.30183 2.36306 5.36574 2.61446 5.47701 2.84621L8.19747 8.79378L9.22319 2.27251C9.26287 1.89961 9.19624 1.52313 9.03088 1.1861C8.92252 0.952999 8.76869 0.743609 8.57831 0.570069C8.38793 0.396529 8.16478 0.262295 7.92183 0.175156C7.67888 0.0880165 7.42095 0.04971 7.163 0.0624465C6.90504 0.0751829 6.65221 0.138705 6.41914 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#C9234A"></path><path d="M2.46669 6.2992L8.18075 10.1959L5.31535 3.82151C5.14952 3.48468 4.89036 3.20198 4.56836 3.0067C4.12998 2.72812 3.59826 2.63411 3.09017 2.74534C2.58207 2.85656 2.13921 3.16392 1.85903 3.5998C1.57886 4.03567 1.48432 4.56437 1.59619 5.06957C1.70805 5.57476 2.01715 6.01507 2.45553 6.29365L2.46669 6.2992Z" fill="#F37021"></path><path d="M2.06533 7.11707C1.5449 7.11707 1.04575 7.32263 0.677748 7.68853C0.309746 8.05443 0.103027 8.55071 0.103027 9.06817C0.103027 9.58564 0.309746 10.0819 0.677748 10.4478C1.04575 10.8137 1.5449 11.0193 2.06533 11.0193H8.36752L3.13566 7.40252C2.81314 7.20881 2.44206 7.10985 2.06533 7.11707Z" fill="#FDB913"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3686_260016"><rect width="144" height="16" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></span><span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_chevron-img__sl67n"><svg viewBox="0 0 10 7" fill="none" xmlns="><path d="M1 1.07454L4.96238 5L9 1" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></div></div></sectn><div class="article-body" data-activy-map="article-article-body" data-taboola-target="read-more"><div class="article-body__grid--ntaer"><div class="ad dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="terstial" data-siz="[[[0,0],[[4,4]]]]" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn layout-grid-ntaer article-body__last-sectn article-body__first-sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"><sectn class="mb7"><div class="article-social-share-top"><ul class="styl_ntaer__ZKkl3" data-activy-map="social-share-lks-article-top" data-ttid="social-share-menu"><li data-ttid="social-share-facebook" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_facebook__bOW_X"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-facebook"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-twter" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_twter__ww7sF"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-ptert" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_ptert__CaMm1"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-ptert"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-email" class="styl_em__b5A78"><a href="mailto:?subject=GOP ndidat unleash wave of ads targetg transgenr rights& target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-email"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-py" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_py__RACZ3"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-lk"></span></button><div class="styl_pyTooltip__Ut_t1"><span class="in in-alt-check"></span></div></li><li data-ttid="social-share-sms" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_sms__Vohh6"><a href="sms:?&body=GOP ndidat unleash wave of ads targetg transgenr rights via nbews - target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-sms"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-prt" class="styl_prt__cw6Gn"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-share-prt styl_in__P3XZT"></span><span class="styl_text___8iNX">Prt</span></button></li><li data-ttid="social-share-save" class="styl_save__ILVuj"></li></ul></div><div class="article-body__date-source"><time class="relative z-1" dateTime="2022-05-16T19:55:21.732Z" ntent="2022-05-16T19:55:21.732Z">May 16, 2022, 7:55 PM UTC</time></div><div class="article-le-byle" data-activy-map="le-byle-article-top">By <span class="byle-name"><a href=">Marc Caputo</a></span></div></sectn><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><p class="">Two leadg Republin Senate hopefuls Pennsylvania are savagg each other TV ads over who supported transgenr surgery more. In Missouri, another GOP ndidate for Senate surged when she cricized transgenr swimmer Lia Thomas a mercial. And Alabama, a charter school for transgenr kids has been voked ads as an issue the Republin primary for ernor. </p><p class="">Like never before, Republins primari across the untry have ma attackg transgenr rights central to their paid media mpaigns and stump speech — focg on issu of tn, genr transng and sports, acrdg to the ad trackg firm AdImpact.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div id="taboolaReadMoreBelow"></div><p class="">In all, 21 ndidat and polil mte have so far spent at least $4.5 ln on TV ads that have n var media markets of 16 stat, acrdg to AdImpact. The firm<strong> </strong>also found that Democratic ndidat spent nothg on TV advertisg to rebut the attacks. Two transgenr ally groups aired ads opposg laws Texas and Florida, and advot limed more of their paid media to relatively small Facebook buys. </p><p class="">The explosn of mpaign advertisg cis wh a <a href=">dramatic crease</a> legislatn limg LGBTQ rights — mostly regard to transgenr people, sports and medil treatments, known as genr-affirmg re, for youths<strong> </strong>— stat led by Republins, makg the issue a ont le the natn’s culture wars fought lol, state and feral electns this year and urts throughout the natn for years to e. </p><p class="">On Friday, <a href=" target="_blank">a feral judge blocked an Alabama law</a> banng transgenr children om receivg puberty blockers and hormon. The judge left place a ban on genr-affirmg surgeri for mors, which doctors have said aren't performed the state anyway. On the same day, the Texas Supreme Court <a href=">allowed</a> state officials to vtigate parents and doctors for potential child abe if they’re given the medil treatments or surgeri.</p><p class="">Fifteen stat began nsirg rtrictns on genr-affirmg re after the first such law was passed last year Arkansas, where the GOP-led Legislature overro Republin Gov. Asa Hutchson’s veto to enact . The law has been on hold for a year ever sce a feral judge blocked .</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signaled his tert banng trans children om receivg puberty blockers or unrgog surgery. Florida beme the eighth state last year to sign a ban on transgenr athlet petg girls and women’s sports sendary schools and llege. At least<a href=" target="_blank"> 15 stat so far</a> have a siar transgenr sports ban.</p><p class="">Republin nsultants say the GOP will ntue prsg the issue general electn ntts and state pals across the natn. The sports bans, which began wily surfacg 2021 followg an early Print Joe Bin <a href=" target="_blank">orr </a>ncerng genr inty or sexual orientatn protectns, generally garner majory support om Republins and pennts most public opn surveys, wh jt Democrats and the youngt voters opposed. </p><p class="">"Voters overall are nowhere near Democrats on this and the hard woke left. There’s a blogil difference between men and women," said Curt Anrson, a top nsultant for the Natnal Republin Senatorial Commtee, potg to <a href=" target="_blank">pollg </a>om his firm, OnMsage Inc. </p><p class="">“Once a while, you fd an issue that is your opponent’s Achill' heel, where they’re way over their skis," Anrson add. "Democrats are stuck on this, bee if they step out of le, they get smacked as transphobic.” </p><p class="">Rodrigo Heng-Lehten, executive director of the Natnal Center for Transgenr Equaly, acknowledged the challeng of negative public opn when to advotg for the rights of trans people — pecially athlet — and characterized the Republin onslght as an example of "anti-LGBT iologu who are takg advantage of people's naïveté [about transgenr people]<strong> </strong>as an opportuny to take sre them."</p><p class="">But, he predicted, lims on transgenr athlet and other civil rights will go the way of racial segregatn sports and bans on gay marriage.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“It go to show that thgs that are shockg — or maybe even seem unacceptable at first — really dissolve and turn out to be no big al the end,” he said.</p><p class="">Public opposn to transgenr rights vari by the <a href=" target="_blank">poll</a>, wh some showg <a href=" target="_blank">closer margs</a> and others <a href=" target="_blank">wir spls</a> <a href="http:// PBS News Hour-NPR" target="_blank">opn</a>. A PBS Newshour-NPR-Marist College <a href=" target="_blank">poll </a>last year found most voters opposed laws limg transgenr rights.</p><p class="">But Republins have paid ltle price public-opn pollg as they've limed transgenr rights, and they see few reasons to stop phg forward wh the bans, which ptured <a href=" target="_blank">headl </a> March<strong> </strong>when swimmer Lia Thomas of the Universy of Pennsylvania blew away petors to bee the first transgenr woman to pture an NCAA Divisn 1 tle.</p><p class="">Wh a week of Thomas’ w, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, a client of Anrson’s who is nng the GOP primary for Senate Missouri, beme the first Senate ndidate the natn to make the swimmer a mpaign issue <strong> </strong>a <a href=" target="_blank">statewi ad</a> that juxtaposed the athlete's w-loss rerds.</p><p class="">DeSantis promptly issued a <a href=" target="_blank">proclamatn </a>clarg Thomas’ opponent, Floridian Emma Weyant, the real wner.<strong> </strong></p><p class="">Robert Cahaly, a Republin pollster who’s ntral the Missouri race, told NBC News that his pollg dited Hartzler ially surged to <a href=" target="_blank">top ntentn</a> the crowd primary bee of the ad but has now slipped to <a href=" target="_blank">third</a>.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">Stephen Webber, polil director of the AFL-CIO Missouri, said he unrstands why Democrats may be reticent to speak out agast Republins on the issu: The pollg isn’t on their si, and 's ght wh rhetoril landm.</p><p class="">“I thk everybody’s nervo about the right way to talk about . It’s a sensive issue. And when you’re beg supportive, you don’t want to e the wrong word and set off a trip wire,” Webber said. “So some people have termed that the easit thg to do is not talk about .”</p><p class="">That relative<strong> </strong>silence — both paid media and public disurse — ncerns Chase Strang, puty director for transgenr jtice wh the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project.</p><p class="">“I am worried that we’re not rpondg aggrsively enough. As someone who’s an anizer and a longtime advote, ’s not a polil rponse need necsarily. It’s not necsarily the Democrats firg back,” Strang said. “It’s a massive cultural rponse, which is what I’m tryg to do: to mobilize people to say, and as women athlet are out here now sayg, ‘This isn’t about me. Don’t e my name for this.’”</p><p class="">To that end, the ACLU partnered a <a href=">social media mpaign</a> wh women’s soccer legend Megan Rapoe and her partner, profsnal basketball player Sue Bird.</p><p class="">On Facebook, however, pro-transgenr rights groups outspent opponents by 84-16 percent om January through April, acrdg to the Democratic ad-trackg firm Bully Pulp Interactive, which intified nearly $231,000 spendg on the platform over the issue.  </p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend" data-ttid="remend-wrapper"></div><p class="">The firm found that the ACLU and the Human Rights Campaign anized opposn to the mov by Texas and Florida, built lists of followers and fundraised. One of the biggt spenrs: Facebook self, which dropped $47,500 to celebrate visibily for trans people.</p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend" data-ttid="remend-wrapper"></div><p class="">On the other si, the nservative Daily Wire publitn spent about $33,000 promotg what Bully Pulp classified as anti-trans stori.</p><p class="">“Trans-supportive groups are g this moment to urge actn, while the digal spend on the Right om dividual rightwg personali lookg to palize and draft behd a hot button moment,” Jsi Reis, Bully Pulp’s managg director, said a statement.</p><p class="">When Florida lawmakers prepared to pass their law this sprg hibg teachers om discsg LGBTQ issu wh stunts, the AIDS Health Care Foundatn spent a most $63,000 on <a href=" target="_blank">advertisg </a>agast the "hateful" proposal.</p><p class="">The only other TV ad fendg transgenr people began airg last month, when the Gay & Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn lnched a 60-send public service <a href=" target="_blank">announcement</a>. It featured Texas mom Amber Briggle, who cricized “some policians who are tryg to tear my fay apart simply bee my son is transgenr.” It was aired wh donated time om Comst NBCUniversal, NBC News' parent pany, along wh donated time om Paramount, WarnerMedia, The Walt Disney Co. and the Ad Council, acrdg to the LGBTQ advocy group GLAAD.</p><p class="">Weeks before the ad was released, Briggle <a href=" target="_blank">said</a> her fay was qutned by Texas child welfare officials,<strong> </strong><a href=" target="_blank">tasked by Gov. Greg Abbott</a>, rponse to an opn om state Attorney General Ken Paxton, to vtigate parents of transgenr children for possible child abe if their kids receive genr “reassignment surgeri that n e sterilizatn, mastectomi, removals of otherwise healthy body parts" or are admistered "puberty-blockg dgs or … dos of ttosterone or trogen.”</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">The orr, issued by Abbott the wang days of his primary mpaign and opposed by medil and psychologil associatns who say genr-affirmg re protects the mental well-beg of transgenr children, was blocked by a urt March that said the vtigatns uld e “irreparable harm.” </p><p class="">On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court led the vtigatns uld ntue, but said that neher Abbott nor Paxton had the thory to orr the vtigatns.<strong> </strong>Paxton, who fac a primary noff March 24, hailed the lg <a href=" target="_blank">on Twter.</a><strong> </strong>Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, meanwhile, was the first ndidate this cycle to <a href=" target="_blank">advertise </a>his opposn to transgenr athlet women’s sports by airg a mercial early Febary.</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Image: Mehmet Oz" height="1666" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">Dr. Mehmet Oz speaks at the 'Save Ameri' rally Greensburg, Pa, May 6, 2022.</span><span class="ptn__source">Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Imag</span></figptn></figure><p class="">In the wang days of Pennsylvania’s Senate primary, a super PAC backg Republin Mehmet Oz <a href=" target="_blank">swiped at</a> Dave McCormick, a venture palist, for nng a pany that “vered transgenr surgeri.” McCormick h back at the celebry TV doctor wh clips om his show of Oz ntrally discsg those who would “surgilly change the genr of their child.”</p><p class="">Those old Oz shows have now been removed om the ter. GLAAD <a href=">praised</a> Oz at the time. Oz now sounds more negative, notg at a recent town hall event that “we’re already seeg ligatn kids who have been treated wh different approach to transgenr health wh meditns as well as surgery.” </p><p class="">In all of the four ads Oz has n ncerng transgenr issu, all <a href=" target="_blank">foc </a>on<strong> </strong>transgenr athlet women’s sports. A Frankl & Marshall College <a href="unsafe:about:blank">Poll</a> released last month showed that 64 percent of Pennsylvania voters were opposed to trans women petg women’s sports; 29 percent approved. </p><p class="">Tony Fabriz, who polls for former Print Donald Tmp and other top Republins, said his survey work suggts voters oppose trans athlet women’s sports — even California last year when he surveyed for GOP gubernatorial ndidate Calyn Jenner, the former Olympic athlete and TV celebry who is transgenr but <a href=" target="_blank">opposed Thomas </a>petg agast women.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“This is an issue of fundamental fairns,” Fabriz said. “I don’t see that changg.”</p><p class="">In Utah, the GOP Legislature passed a bill barrg transgenr athlet high school and middle school girls’ sports and overro the veto of Republin Gov. Spencer Cox. Cox wrote a letter explag his veto that those born male have athletic advantag over girls, but he etted about monizg trans children, who have high suici rat, and noted only four of them play high school sports.</p><p class="">“That’s what all of this is about. Four kids who aren’t domatg or wng trophi or takg scholarships,” he wrote his <a href=">veto</a> msage. “Four kids who are jt tryg to fd some iends and feel like they are a part of somethg. Four kids tryg to get through each day. Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few.” </p><p class="">In Alabama, the Republin primary for ernor has seen 11 ads vokg transgenr-related issu. A ndidate the state's GOP Senate primary ran one as well. That’s more than any other state, acrdg to AdImpact. </p><p class="">Gov. Kay Ivey has n two ads that mentn she signed a ban on transgenr athlet women and girls sports, wh <a href=" target="_blank">one mercial</a> emphasizg she ma “transgenr surgery on children Alabama” a felony, whout mentng those procr aren’t done the state. </p><p class="">The law’s ban on genr-affirmg meditns for kids was blocked Friday.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">Dpe Ivey's rerd limg trans rights, her two Republin opponents, Ldy Blanchard and Tim Jam, have attacked her bee of the existence of the Magic Cy Acceptance Amy, a Birmgham charter school that bills self as an LGBTQ-affirmg learng environment. The school says about 10 percent of the stunts intify as transgenr.</p><p class="">After Jam featured the school one of his <a href=" target="_blank">attack ads</a><strong> — </strong>misleadgly scribg as “the first transgenr public school the South" — foundg prcipal Michael Wilson told lol media that he had to hire extra secury and that one man yelled slurs at stunts while another person a separate cint was vio-rerdg the school. </p><p class="">“I jt uld not believe that someone would e a school and misreprent ,” Wilson <a href=">told CBS42</a>, notg that most stunts who attend do not intify as LGBTQ.</p><p class="">But veteran polil operators like Webber Missouri acknowledge that ’s probably good short-term polics for Republins for now, pecially durg this midterm electn season when Democrats are bracg for wispread loss and Republins are on offense.</p><p class="endmark">“That’s the whole story of civil rights: Somethg that seems impossible 40 years ago now seems mastream,” he said. “But you may pay an electoral price gettg there.”</p></div><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><div class="expand-byle-ntributors articleByleContaer"><div class="expand-byle article-expand-byle" data-activy-map="expand-byle-article-bottom"><span class="byle-thumbnail byle-thumbnail--no-image expand-byle__thumbnail"></span><span class="byle-name expand-byle__name"><a href=">Marc Caputo</a></span><span class="byle-social expand-byle__social"><a href="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-email"></span></a></span><div class="expand-byle__b-wrapper"><p class="byle-b expand-byle__b">Marc Caputo is a senr natnal polil reporter for NBC News.</p></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body--right-rail-ntaer"><div data-ttid="right-rail-ntaer" class="article-body__right-rail layout-grid-em grid-l-4_5-l grid-l-3_5-xl grid-l-ph-half-xl"><div class="ad article-body__right-rail--ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxrail" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[300,250],[360,360]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="10" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div><span></span><div class="body-bottom-remend"><div class="ad ad--midrponsive ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="midrponsive" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[700,1],[5,5]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="300" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div></article></div></div><div id="hfs-footer" class="dn-prt" data-activy-map="hfs-footer"><footer class="hfsf" ><div class="ner"><div class="logo"><a href="><svg class="peack" viewBox="578 62 67 39" xmlns=" fill="currentColor"><g fill-le="evenodd"><path d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M597.563 75.863l9.442 21.613-19.478-13.35c-4.887-3.24-3.896-8.79-1.19-11.237 3.83-3.24 9.245-2.12 11.226 2.97"></path><path class="feather" d="M610.57 70.93l-3.433 24.19-9.772-23c-2.113-5.75 2.64-9.516 5.81-9.583 3.632-.396 8.188 2.38 7.396 8.394"></path><path class="feather" d="M625.494 72.103l-9.707 23.067-3.102-20.82c-.265-3.17 1.716-3.237 2.443-3.832-.133-.463-1.124-.463-1.124-.463h-1.848c-.198-5.42 4.028-7.8 7.462-7.535 3.697.132 7.856 4.428 5.876 9.583"></path><path class="feather" d="M635.338 84.167L615.86 97.584l9.177-21.348c2.775-6.742 9.245-5.42 11.556-2.842 2.51 2.51 3.235 7.6-1.255 10.773"></path><path class="feather" d="M637.448 99.9h-22.515l18.29-12.756c4.49-2.975 9.244-.266 10.498 3.635 1.327 4.36-1.65 9.12-6.27 9.12"></path></g></svg></a></div><nav class="lks"><ul class="lks__wrap" data-l-2="14" data-l-3=15><li><a href=" target="_self">About</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Contact</a></li><li><a href=">Help</a></li><li><a href=">Careers</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ad Choic</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Do Not Sell My Personal Informatn</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CA Notice</a></li><li><a href=">Terms of Service (Updated JULY 7, 2023)</a></li><li><a href=">NBC News Semap</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Closed Captng</a></li><li><a href=">Advertise</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Shoppg</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Personal Fance</a></li></ul></nav><div class="py"><p>© 2023 NBC UNIVERSAL</p><div class="brands"><a href="><svg viewBox="0 0 120 20" fill="none" xmlns=" aria-labelledby="nbc_news_logo"><tle class="nbc_news_logo">NBC News Logo .

TOP