Governor Nikki Haley was the subject of the primary one-on-one GOP conversation. Ron DeSantis rekindled his long-running conflict with Disney, claiming that the business is “transing children.”
First off, the word “cis” is not a word. According to the American Psychiatric Association, it is slang for the medical term “transgender,” which describes someone whose birth sex does not correspond to their gender identity. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, recognizes gender dysphoria, another medical term for transgender, and provides specific criteria for the treatment of gender dysphoria in children, adolescents, or adults.
According to the APA, “psychological efforts to make a transgender person become cisgender (a person whose gender identity matches the sex assigned at birth) are considered unethical and have been associated with poor mental health outcomes.”
DeSantis accused Disney during the debate of telling kindergartners “that you can change your gender” and “telling a fourth-grader that you were born in the wrong body,” respectively.
There have been numerous reports published in right-leaning outlets accusing Disney of pushing a “gay agenda,” including one Fox Business report from March that outlined videos obtained by conservative activist Christopher Rufo showing executives discussing efforts to include more LGBTQ+ characters in its content. However, it is unclear what action or speech DeSantis is referring to when he claims that Disney advised kindergartners to change their gender.
In the essay, Fox refers to Rufo as a blogger. He isn’t.
I am aware that many people are perplexed by the concept of gender dysphoria. Some people believe it to be a made-up concept and limit their understanding of gender to genitalia-based black-and-white definitions.
However, the medical community has consistently defined transgender and gender dysphoria and, with very few exceptions, agrees that a child’s gender identity should be respected. In a policy statement released in August, the American Academy of Pediatrics reiterated its support for gender-affirming care provided under the guidance of an experienced healthcare provider and opposed “laws or regulations that discriminate against transgender and gender-diverse individuals or interfere in the doctor-patient relationship.”
DeSantis believes that Disney’s efforts to ensure that all of its audiences are represented in its content are a grave sin. Disney officials stated in one specific analysis, which was based on the Rufo videos, that they were working to increase the representation of characters representing racial minorities as well as transgender or gender-nonconforming characters.
Some people see what DeSantis and his supporters see as inclusive education. Some might call what he might refer to as grooming conversing.
None of this is surprising, it’s worth noting. DeSantis has made his “war on woke” the focal point of both his political campaign and his general governance.
His entire beef with Disney stems from the company’s opposition to his Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics because it prohibits teaching students about sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom. Among other compelling arguments, those who oppose the bill frequently point out that it silences transgender community members or children of same-sex parents.
But there’s so much more, from book bans, such as those in Escambia County, where dictionaries and encyclopedias were actually removed from library shelves, to mandates that transgender girls not be allowed to use girls’ restrooms or participate in girls’ sports teams (reasonable people disagree on the merits of the issue).
And because DeSantis’ preferred policy ignores patient-doctor relationships in favor of a traditional ideology that fails to take even the slightest nuance into account, it is reminiscent of his hard-line approach to abortion care.
Nikki Haley, DeSantis’ political rival in the presidential primary, appropriately criticized him for his bullying behavior during the debate on Wednesday night, even though it had nothing to do with patient-doctor interactions.
The former governor of the Palmetto State responded to DeSantis’ criticism of her for allowing Disney to do business in her state by saying, “I will always invite businesses to come to South Carolina. Government doesn’t intimidate our businesses, which is the one thing you don’t do. Ron is determined; if anyone offends him, he goes after them.
Haley isn’t exactly the epitome of LGBTQ rights, but she made a statement that even conservative voters will find offensive. They may not approve of transgender equality, but they also object to the government interfering with business.
DeSantis has argued that the conservative base is more concerned with his interpretation of “protecting kids” than it is with allowing Disney to be successful.
It may be his last remaining bet as his political strategy struggles to survive in the wake of the Iowa caucuses. Given his poor polling numbers, it’s unlikely to succeed, but it would be a terrible bet on the outcome of the general election.
The National Institutes for Health’s National Library of Medicine notes that “the mortality rate and depressive symptoms among transgender individuals are significantly higher compared to the general population.” Specifically, it found that “the suicide attempt rate among transgender individuals ranges from 32% to 50%.”
To make Scott seem at best heartless and at worst complicit in child deaths, Joe Biden only needs to find a family whose transgender child died by suicide (assuming he wins the Democratic nomination, which is all but assured).
Don’t think I’m serious? Look at the latest developments in the Kentucky governor’s race. Democrat Andy Beshear won re-election in the deep red state largely based on one campaign ad featuring a young woman who was raped and impregnated by her father when she was in seventh grade. She spoke out against the abortion policies supported by former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Beshear’s GOP challenger. Rarely has an ad been more effective.
While the issue is unique, the outcome is likely the same. Most Americans have empathy. Apparently, DeSantis does not.
