OPINION: Republicans stop being transphobic challenge: Nikki Haley raises the transphobic bar in 2023 primary
Julianna Rittenberg is a sophomore studying political science and an opinion writer for The New Political.
Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.
On Feb. 14 Nikki Haley announced her candidacy for president. The former governor of South Carolina and ambassador to the United Nations has joined Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former U.S. President Donald Trump in the fight for the 2024 Republican nomination.Since the primary campaign began, all three candidates have come out strongly against the LGBTQ+ community, most specifically transgender people.
While people are familiar with DeSantis and Trump’s policies in these areas, having been in the news for years with little change except to get more extreme, Haley’s policies may be more unfamiliar.
In 2010, Haley stated that she firmly believed marriage was between one man and one woman. This belief went so far that in 2013, her legal team and attorney general filed a civil action for the ability to not recognize same-sex marriages performed legally in other states on the basis of the 10th Amendment.
While Haley was governor, South Carolina was facing a major HIV/AIDS health crisis. Haley did little to help the issue and instead rejected matching funds from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program to assist low-income patients with treatment. In 2010, the state had cut HIV/AIDS prevention funding to zero dollars. In 2012, the state had the highest heterosexual transmission rate in the country.
In 2016, still serving as governor, Haley pushed back against an introduced bathroom bill. The bill would have mandated people only use the public restroom that correlated with the gender listed on their birth certificate. She was quoted saying “I don’t believe it’s necessary.” That same year, however, she came out against a directive from President Obama telling public schools to allow students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.
In 2021, Haley stated that Biden was “attacking women’s rights” after he signed an unprecedented and extremely important executive order to prohibit discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity. This was a reference to attacks made by Republicans across the country about transgender women in sports.
Quickly following her announcement for president, Haley joined Trump and DeSantis in attacking the LGBTQ+ community. She stated, three days after announcing her campaign, she believed DeSantis’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill does not go far enough. The law at the time covered through 3rd grade. Since then, DeSantis has vowed to expand the law into high schools.
Where does this leave us?
As of February 15, the Human Rights Campaign reported a record 340 anti-LGBTQ bills on the books for the year. 150 of these bills target transgender people.
This number rose to 385 by March 8.
These bills include trans sports bans, bathroom bills, gender-affirming care bans, “Don’t Say Gay” bills, anti-drag bills and more.
In Ohio, three anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced. One is modeled off of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The second would ban gender affirming medical care for trans or non-binary minors. The third is a high school trans athlete ban.
Of course, this conversation would not be complete without talking about the effects of bills like these. In 2022 in Ohio, 46% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide and 14% attempting. Additionally, 77% reported having anxiety and 62% reported having depression.
It is about more than legislation. 54 LGBTQ+ tv shows have been canceled in the last year, killing the rapid rise of representation in media.
These bills matter. These attitudes and beliefs matter. They have consequences. We need to pay attention.
There are people out there doing good work. Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh has led a three week long filibuster to block the state’s gender-affirming care ban. We need more allies like Cavanaugh.
The 2024 Democratic presidential candidate needs to be loudly and proudly for LGBTQ+ rights. We cannot merely be a group to campaign on, we need action behind words. We need to protect the current and next generation of LGBTQ+ people.
This is about people’s lives. Vote in the primary. Vote in the general election. Be a loud ally. Be loud and proud when it is safe to do so.
We are here. We are protesting. We are not going back in the closet. We are standing up for our transgender and gender non-conforming members. We are not being silent.