Vice President Kamala Harris has been a strong advocate for transgender rights for two decades, according to pro-transgender news site Slate. The publication noted on July 29 that “her record is clear: Harris has been a strong advocate and progressive for transgender rights for 20 years,” predating the issue’s prominence in national politics.
Slate quoted Shannon Minter, a pro-transgender activist, who praised Harris as not just an ally but “a longtime, steadfast, committed, and well-informed ally.” Minter added that Harris has used her position and influence to help build more institutional and public support for the transgender community, actively seeking to create more allies.
However, this long-standing support may be a problem for Harris as it is documented on video and increasingly unpopular among the general public. Transgenderism pushes the idea that government should subordinate any public recognition of biological differences between men and women, enforcing individuals’ claims to be members of the opposite sex instead.
Many progressives and liberals are eager to defend transgender people as a marginalized minority. However, the vast majority of Americans prefer laws and civic norms that acknowledge the different needs of the two sexes, which are seen as equal, distinct, and complementary. A January poll reported that 77% of Americans believe politicians use transgenderism to distract voters from important political issues.
Harris’ support for transgenderism has been connected to ongoing controversy surrounding the integration of transgenderism into all areas of society, such as the Olympics and jails. For example, on July 31, Ruduxx reported on a case in which a transgender man was transferred to a women’s jail in California after being convicted of murdering his wife. Since the implementation of California’s SB-132, also known as the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, 334 male inmates have requested transfer to women’s prisons, with 46 approved for transfer. According to Keep Prisons Single Sex USA, one-third of male inmates who have made such requests were registered sex offenders.
Similarly, Harris allowed a man pretending to be a transgender woman to appear at her “Women for Kamala” fundraiser event. The Vice President has also consistently displayed her support for transgenderism since becoming VP in 2021.