Abigail Swetz on Anti-Transgender Republican Stances in 2024

Frederica Freyberg:
Trading on that fear and hate, Republican candidates have run attack ads like Eric Hovde slamming Tammy Baldwin over what he calls her radical agenda.

TV announcer:
Allowing men to compete in girls’ sports.

Frederica Freyberg:
He’s not alone. In the final days of the 2024 campaign, the Trump campaign is also laser focused on attacking Kamala Harris on transgender rights in an ad blitz and on the campaign trail.

Donald Trump:
Kamala supports states being able to take minor children and perform sex change operation. Take them away from their parents, perform sex change operation and send them back home.

Frederica Freyberg:
Of course, this is a lie. It does not happen. In an opinion piece in the Journal Sentinel this week, our next guest said, “Politicians should know better than to attack people, especially children.” Abigail Swetz is executive director of Fair Wisconsin, an advocacy organization for the LGBTQ community and she joins us now. Abigail, thanks very much for being here.

Abigail Swetz:
Thank you for the invite.

Frederica Freyberg:
So as to the idea of children going off to school and coming home with transition surgery, does that happen?

Abigail Swetz:
Absolutely not. It is a lie and I’m glad we’re calling it a lie because it is not only untrue, it is meant to deceive and frankly, divide and create distrust with our educators and our medical professionals. And I find that lie absolutely disgusting.

Frederica Freyberg:
How do these ads and statements affect people for whom you advocate?

Abigail Swetz:
So to understand the impact of the ads, I think first we have to realize that they are ethically wrong because they are dehumanizing and lies and frankly, a ridiculous distraction. And that kind of hateful language, it does have a cost. It has an emotional cost because turning people into issues and weapons does have an impact that is quite dangerous on the LGBTQ plus community and frankly, on everyone, because I think it has this impact of eroding empathy. And that is really dangerous. And as an example of this impact, actually, so I just want to say, I am a member of the LGBTQ plus community, but I’m not trans. And it is incredibly important to always center trans voices in this conversation. And it is not okay to always make trans and nonbinary people defend their own existence. And so it is incredibly important for the rest of us to also show up and support. The editorial you mentioned, I co-wrote it with a dear friend of mine who is trans. I am here because in that editorial you probably noticed my friend used their initials out of a safety concern and that is incredibly important. It sort of distills down the impact we’re talking about.

Frederica Freyberg:
So the 2024 Republican platform states they will oppose, “left wing gender insanity,” trying to make inroads with voters by focusing in on these transgender rights. What’s the play there in your mind politically?

Abigail Swetz:
It’s a really good question. I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask it to, though. I would love someone to ask them that question because they seem to think that attacking trans people is a winning issue. And I’m here to say that as voters, we cannot let that be true. We cannot let it work. They are trying to use an identity as a wedge issue to divide and confuse, and it’s just a distraction that we cannot let them take advantage of.

Frederica Freyberg:
On that, what is your message to voters who are deluged by these ads and rhetoric?

Abigail Swetz:
My message is, my message is that I think we all need to hold a few truths in our hearts when we’re seeing this kind of deluge. It’s the right word. We have to remember that these are not issues and these are not weapons. Trans people are people who deserve respect. Trans children are children who deserve love and support and trust. They are not weapons. And as LGBTQ plus people, we’ve been turned into issues against our own will by politicians who are trying to scare you to vote a certain way by using your neighbors against you because trans people and trans children are your neighbors and your friends. And we in the LGBTQ plus community care about a lot of issues: those that target us and those that don’t. Those are the ones that we should really be paying attention to. Like housing affordability and reproductive justice. Those are the issues that everyone cares about, and we’re part of everyone, too.

Frederica Freyberg:
So how important is the LGBTQ plus voting bloc?

Abigail Swetz:
Well, we’re not a monolith. I’ll definitely start with that. But we are pretty numerous. I’d say their best estimate about 250,000 voting age, LGBTQ plus people in Wisconsin. So while we definitely don’t vote as a full unit, we could really make a difference in an election in a state where we know the margin of victory is about 20,000 votes pretty often. So I think it’s important when we are going around as Fair Wisconsin talking to voters, we’re hearing those intersectional needs. People are caring about so many things that impact us, often disproportionately and we have to remember that our vote really, really matters.

Frederica Freyberg:
What kind of fears do you have that that vote could be swamped by inciting fear of harming children?

Abigail Swetz:
I fear beyond just voting when it comes to the rhetoric we’re seeing, because rhetoric just has — it has an impact and emotional cost, but it also turns into hateful policies. And those policies also have a very detrimental effect.

Frederica Freyberg:
Abigail Swetz, thanks very much.

Abigail Swetz:
Thank you.