Republicans haven't gotten the memo that it's 2024. They're still the good ol' misogynists preying on women once again. After Roe v. Wade, they're once again trying to villainize women, especially trans women.
Just this week, Republican lawmakers introduced a bill to ban trans women from the U.S. Olympic team. In an election year, they like to rile up their base getting them focused on the issues that don't really matter.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Representative Gregory Steube (R-Fla.) introduced The Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, which would ban trans women's participation on any Olympic team. This comes after the cruel words hurled by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who made a point to equate the trans community with terrorism.
We have so many important issues facing our nation such as rising crime, homelessness, and multiple wars. But instead of addressing those issues, Republicans are letting their ignorance of an entire population distract the country.
Senator Tuberville has made it clear that power and control are front and center with his flimsy arguments that "men should not be competing in women's sports at any level." In other words, it doesn't matter if you are 6 or 60, trans women are not welcome. Full stop.
Quick question. Why don't they feel as strongly about trans men? Crickets. This bill isn't about saving women from trans women, it's about having power, dominance, and control over a minority group where trans women are now the target.
Now, after Roe v. Wade, there's a whole new category of people to oppress.
This bill is a convenient distraction. With a magician's sleight of hand, Republicans wave their wands, and poof, the public's attention diverts from pressing issues like climate change, health care, and education to the bedrooms and bathrooms of the nation. Members of our diverse communities have been lumped together as scapegoats for all of our societal ills, neatly wrapped in a trans flag.
But let's get real for a second. This hypocrisy is worse than the plot of a bad soap opera. These same voices screaming about the sanctity of women's sports are eerily silent on matters that directly impact women's lives. Equal pay, anyone? Combatting domestic violence? Improving maternal health? These topics must have been lost in the mail alongside their empathy and common sense.
Oh, and let's not forget the bathroom bills, a classic hit from the Republican playlist on privacy and dignity. These moves are not about protection; they're about control. They hearken back to an era where cisgender heterosexual males dictated the terms of women's existence in public spaces, much like those separate bathrooms "for women's safety." It seems their playbook hasn't changed much, just the targeted group.
It's fascinating, in the most macabre sense of the word, how the party that champions "small government" always finds room to grow when it comes to the personal lives of everyday citizens. They've gone from legislating women's bodies through abortion bans to policing gender identity with an iron fist, all while pretending to uphold freedom and liberty.
So, here we are, in 2024, witnessing the same old tactics dressed up in new discriminatory legislation. But let's not lose heart. History shows that progress cannot be permanently halted by fear and ignorance. It's a bumpy ride, no doubt, but the arc of the moral universe does bend toward justice.
To the GOP, a word of advice: maybe it's time to focus on real issues instead of inventing new ways to oppress people. The world is watching, and history will remember the choices made today. Let's choose inclusivity, respect, and dignity for all, not just the few. After all, isn't that what America is supposed to stand for?
Frankie Perez is a development associate with Make the Road Nevada, and served in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years. He was the first out transgender person to serve in his last squadron.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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