Lawmaker apologises to trans community because they are ‘so twisted’

[stephaniec]

Lawmaker apologises to trans community because they are 'so twisted'

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/02/07/lawmaker-apologises-to-trans-community-because-they-are-so-twisted/

Pink News/By Joseph Patrick McCormick   02/072016

"A state Senator in South Dakota has apologised to the trans community, saying they are "so twisted".

The senator spoke during a legislative coffee event on Saturday, saying he would vote for a bill banning trans people from using gender-appropriate bathrooms and locker rooms.

"I'm sorry if you're so twisted you don't even know who you are," Omdahl said about trans people."

[Deborah]

Reading that gave me an adrenaline rush in a bad way.  **** the Republicans.  Someone tell me again why any trans person would ever even consider voting for one?


Sapere Aude

[Colleen M]

Reading that gave me an adrenaline rush in a bad way.  **** the Republicans.  Someone tell me again why any trans person would ever even consider voting for one?


Sapere Aude

In all candor, this is easily answered.  If you're a "single issue voter" for trans issues, you're going to vote Democrat. If you're a "single issue voter" for gun rights, not so much.  If you're a "single issue voter" for abortion rights, we'll put you back in the Democrat camp.  And so forth.  If you're one of those people who "votes for the candidate not the party" you might well vote for a Republican or two.  If you have a list of pros and cons which puts, say, trans rights and abortion rights behind views on tax policy, defense spending, and energy policy, you might even "hold your nose" and vote straight ticket Republican on a "lesser evil" approach.  Also, human nature being what it is, the mistakes of the last Democrat administration are a little fresher in the mind than the mistakes of the last Republican administration just because of how calendars work. 

Full disclosure:  I'm not terribly impressed with either major American political party.  I wasn't thrilled with the comments much myself.       

[Cindy]

I find such comments a little amusing. I have been seen by three independent psychiatrists all of whom have judged me to be perfectly sane, well balanced and adjusted and female.

I wonder what his medical history is?

[Deborah]

As for issues I agree with the Republican Party on many of them.  But I cannot vote for a group that as a party essentially hates me and goes out of their way at every level to speak of me and those like me in the most disparaging terms possible.  And while none of their anti-trans policies have affected me directly, they might in the future, and they do affect others like me now.  Beyond that, even simple thing like protection from being fired or not hired because of discrimination are not in place in the majority of the USA because of  Republican, specifically their Evangelical base, irrational fears of religious persecution and their irrational belief that they can make America "great again" by passing more federal and state laws based on the Book of Leviticus to secure God's favor.  When their worldview becomes that disconnected from reality such as it is I just no longer believe they possess the capacity to analyze any problem and come up with rational solutions.


Sapere Aude

[Colleen M]

Oh, it's certainly fair enough to have problems with a party that regularly produces this kind of damaging rhetoric.  But it's no less reasonable to be bothered by "bitter clingers" and the like.  It's de rigeur for Democrats to attack the motives of those who question their methods, for example.  Insulting and marginalizing groups is nowhere near a Republican monopoly, but I'd vote against them much more regularly given a reasonable alternative.   

[Sophieraven]

What with people like Omdahl and the guy the other week that wants kids to have to show there genitals to prove which toilet they can use, i'm beginning to think that America is in big trouble. I don't think i'll visit anytime soon. And i thought our lot where bad.
Sophie

[Jessie Ann]

A trans woman in California has apologised to the people of South Dakota, saying their legislator's are "so twisted".

The woman, Jessie Ann, posted on an internet message board today, saying she would never visit the state if South Dakota's legislature votes for a bill banning trans people from using gender-appropriate bathrooms and locker rooms.

"I'm sorry that some in the South Dakota legislature are so twisted and don't even have the common sense to protect people from actual danger," Jessie Ann said about South Dakota's legislature.  "I'm sorry that you have elected backwards thinking individuals who have the mentality of a 1950's era Southern racist legislator trying to protect the "good" white people from the "bad" colored folks.  Telling a transwoman to use the men's room is like telling an African American to use the facilities at a Klan rally, nothing good is going to happen, Jessie Ann said."

[stephaniec]

good analogy

[stephaniec]

How Lawmakers Candidly Justify The Anti-Transgender Bills They Support

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/02/08/3747263/south-dakota-transphobia-on-parade/

ThinkProgress/by Zack Ford Feb 8, 2016 3:49 pm

"Several anti-LGBT bills are swiftly advancing through the South Dakota legislature, two of which directly target transgender people for discrimination. Though national conservative groups are certainly playing a significant part in promoting the legislation, there is apparently plenty of transphobia among lawmakers for them to work with."