For LGBTQ People, Democrats’ Bid For The Center Is A Race To The Bottom

[Devlyn]

For LGBTQ People, Democrats' Bid For The Center Is A Race To The Bottom

https://www.socialistalternative.org/2023/07/11/for-lgbtq-people-democrats-bid-for-the-center-is-a-race-to-the-bottom/

Elin Miller  JULY 11, 2023

With anti-LGBTQ panic at the center of Republicans' culture wars and bigots like Ron DeSantis in the mix, it will be no surprise for issues of LGBTQ rights to have a high profile in the 2024 elections. As in previous election cycles, we can expect Democrats to leverage fear of what another Trump term would mean to get otherwise unenthusiastic voters to the polls. This type of "lesser evilism" will gain a certain popularity given the dire situation that transgender people are facing. But are Democrats actually a fighting opponent of Republicans when it comes to queer rights?

When it comes to fighting for LGBTQ rights against the Republican onslaught, Democrats are playing a weak defense at best.

Top Democrats like Hillary Clinton have urged the party to "stay away" from social issues, including trans rights, to avoid losing right-wing voters.

The so-called "centrist appeal" that Democrats use to defend their dismal record on LGBTQ rights is a clear-as-day indication that we can't have any faith in the party's most powerful and dominant wing to lift a finger for us in any substantial way when they think it's not "strategic."

But even when LGBTQ voters are "strategic" for the Democrats, we get half-measures at best and completely symbolic pandering at worst, including the current policy "victories" of the Biden administration. Why? This compromising strategy is based on the idea that they have no way of reaching right-wing voters and instead seek to hide or minimize trans and LGBTQ issues so as to not increase right-wing voter turnout.