New York Times Writer Has Unsurprising Advice For Kamala Harris: Target Trans People
The New York Times has recently come under fire for anti-transgender articles and disinformation on transgender care.
The New York Times has recently come under fire for platforming writers who push disinformation on transgender care. In the last several months, articles from anti-trans authors such as Pamela Paul and others have repeatedly been cited to justify harsh crackdowns on trans care in Republican-controlled states. Now, in the wake of President Joe Biden withdrawing from the 2024 election and endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris, the largest newspaper in the United States has published advice for her that many may find completely unsurprising: target transgender kids to appear more moderate.
In an article published in the New York Times newsletter, The Morning, a long-time senior writer David Leonhardt listed five issues that Kamala Harris could target to appear more moderate to voters and win votes. One of the issues was transgender rights, suggesting that the Democratic Party should compromise on transgender issues to gain support in the next election.
See this excerpt:
U.S. liberals have adopted some positions on gender issues that are out of the mainstream. Doctors in Europe, for example, believe the scientific evidence doesn’t support gender transition hormone treatment for many children. Most Americans agree — while also opposing discrimination against trans people. Many prominent Democrats are well to the public’s left on this subject. If Harris took a moderate position, she could undermine Republican claims that she is an elite cultural liberal.
This is, of course, not the first time Leonhardt has written or spoken about transgender people. In an interview with the Chicago Booth Review in June, Leonhardt espoused similar views on transgender medical care, claiming that the American public is largely in favor of restrictions and that allowing trans youth to play sports is "problematic on the facts." In his book "Ours Was the Shining Future," published in 2023, he similarly argues that the "Brahmin left" is responsible for painting those with opposing views on gender issues as bigoted.
Notably, Leonhardt makes a weak case in his advice for Vice President Harris that many will view as unsurprising. The link chosen to support his claim that Democrats are "well to the public’s left" on transgender issues merely directs readers to another New York Times article by Pamela Paul, which has already been fact-checked and found to contain false and misleading information. The Pamela Paul story falls far short of supporting the idea that the public is significantly opposed to transgender issues.
While some polls show opposition to aspects like sports participation, more recent surveys indicate that the public is against bans on gender-affirming care and does not view transgender issues as particularly salient or worth legislating over. Gallup, Navigator, and the LA Times have all released polls within the last three months showing that the American public views trans issues as a major distraction, opposes forced outing policies, and rejects bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. In Gallup’s case, multiple ways of asking about gender-affirming care bans did not affect the result.
If Vice President Harris wishes to follow advice that will win her elections, listening to Leonhardt may be misguided. Many politicians have previously attempted to run on anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ platforms with little success. For instance, Moms for Liberty and Project 1776, organizations promoting fiercely anti-LGBTQ+ and conservative policies, lost 70% of their races in the 2023 school board elections. Similar forces saw anti-trans politicians defeated in Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and many other swing states.
Similarly, advice given to Vice President Harris to follow a handful of European countries in cracking down on trans care would be simialrly misplaced. The United States is currently a leader in gender medicine, with many states protecting transgender care as well as abortion care, with the most influential and esteemed medical organizations supporting its provision. Many of the crackdowns on trans care in Europe are given heavy support by conservative organizations recognized as anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups in the United States. These organizations share funding streams with far-right groups like the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025. Bowing to anti-trans panic could be seen as a capitulation to the very set of far-right principles she is running against and could undercut her message.
Ultimately, if Vice President Harris aims to win the 2024 election, she might instead consider the recession of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ panic within public opinion and the documented failures of anti-LGBTQ+ platforms in the political arena. By standing firm on protecting transgender care and rejecting far-right pressures, Harris could present herself as a candidate of integrity and empathy, rather than someone who attacks whatever marginalized group the New York Times has designed as politically expedient to do so.
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This plus never, ever happen with Harris, thank God. She is a staunch ally. I have friends in TX who’ve broke bread with her several times in the past year and she’s listened intently to their needs as parents of trans kids. This is one of the primary reasons I’m excited to see her take over the nomination. Her heart lies with us on this. I truly believe that.
Harris has staff who are Trans. She knows our concerns and personal story and history. She is even more caring and knowledgeable than Biden when it comes to our issues. She will follow the science and sense concerning our issues.