Photo courtesy of Katie Rainbow
Transgender issues are the new lightning rod politically. It seems conservatives have decided cruelty is good politics and targeting transgender people in particular. Whether this is a political calculation based on the low numbers of actual people affected compared to the large amount of outrage conservatives can harvest, the message is cruelty and ignorance, which reinforces the new Republican brand.
While there is a new school shooting nearly every day, conservatives have decided the best way to “protect children” is to target one of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in America.
Idaho politics and transgender issues have been at the forefront of national attention in recent years, with the state enacting several controversial laws related to transgender rights. These laws have sparked debate and drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum.
In 2020, Idaho became the first state in the country to pass a law banning transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identity. The law, known as the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, requires that sports teams be designated based on biological sex, rather than gender identity.
Supporters of the law argue that it is necessary to protect women's sports and prevent unfair competition. Opponents of the law argue that it is discriminatory and violates the rights of transgender individuals.
In addition to the sports ban, Idaho has also passed several other laws related to transgender rights. In 2020, the state enacted a law that prohibits transgender people from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate, unless they undergo gender confirmation surgery.
This law has been criticized by transgender rights advocates, who argue that it is a violation of privacy and can lead to discrimination against transgender individuals. The law is currently facing legal challenges in court.
Idaho has also been at the forefront of national attention for its treatment of transgender individuals in the criminal justice system. In 2018, a transgender woman named Adree Edmo sued the state for denying her gender confirmation surgery while she was in prison.
The case made its way to the Supreme Court, which ruled in Edmo's favor and held that denying gender confirmation surgery to transgender individuals in prison is a violation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
Despite these legal challenges, Idaho continues to enact laws that restrict the rights of transgender individuals.
What is clear is that historically conservative principles like small government, privacy and fiscal responsibility no longer matter. Now, being conservative means bullying the marginalized, big government, and wasting taxpayer money on frivolous lawsuits. Congratulations GOP, you have jumped the shark.
