# Republicans' war on transgender people: Omnibus thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 3, 2022, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609 "2022-06-03T02:20:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/461 "2023-03-07T16:10:11Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > But it makes it more likely that if and when the public attitudes have swung decisively in favor of trans rights even among registered Republican voters, the assholes will drop it and look for the next social-issue wedge. But will it? Polling has made it clear that even among Republicans, abortion access is hugely favored, but that didn’t stop them from gutting Roe vs Wade, and then start introducing anti-abortion laws all over the country. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/462 "2023-03-07T16:21:23Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > But will it? Polling has made it clear that even among Republicans, abortion access is hugely favored, but that didn’t stop them from gutting Roe vs Wade, and then start introducing anti-abortion laws all over the country. True, but a lot of Republican politicians genuinely grind that axe. It’s not just posturing. Their social conservatism is such that they want sex to be something that is shameful for women, and that young men have to jump through hoops to get, and that is anchored in gainful employment and social acceptability and is a lure for young folks to hurry up and get with the program. The notion of sex being available without all that attached to it, and not acting as the main bait in the conformity trap, and of girls and women free to connect sexually as they see fit, makes them froth at the mouth; they can’t stand it, they want to put a stop to it. I’m less convinced that more than a handful of them are genuinely offended, politically or otherwise, by transgender people. The majority of trans people wish to be seen as typical members of their gender. They want to fit in and live ordinary lives. The _idea_ of them is socially threatening to a lot of people, but actual trans people, oddly enough, mostly are not. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/463 "2023-03-07T17:38:43Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I’m less convinced that more than a handful of them are genuinely offended, politically or otherwise, by transgender people. Agreed. The abortion issue is one of power over women. Power is the only ideology the Republicans really have. Abortion is something they actually care about because of that. Trans issues have little to nothing to do with power. What only matters is what they think their voters want. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/464 "2023-03-07T18:03:41Z")
“Sex is the bait in the conformity trap” is the elegantly dense statement of explanation I did not know I was looking for until I saw it. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/465 "2023-03-08T00:53:48Z")
A perfect description, **Cervaise**. Kudos to **AHunter3**. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/466 "2023-03-08T01:05:10Z")
I can’t find any SDMB mention of [Tennessee’s new bill](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/SB0003.pdf) which outlaws “adult caberet performance” in public or wherever children might see it, defining adult cabaret performance thusly: > “Adult cabaret performance” means a performance in a location other than an adult cabaret that features topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers, regardless of whether or not performed for consideration; This is fucking scary as shit. I’m no drag queen but I wouldn’t feel safe in Tennessee (not that I did before) - if I’m not butching it up sufficiently, any cop driving down my block could decide I’m a female impersonator\* or a prurient entertainer, and haul me in for going out to get the mail. \*Or a male impersonator. Editorials: > **[The anti-drag bills sweeping the U.S. are straight from history's playbook](https://www.npr.org/2023/03/06/1161452175/anti-drag-show-bill-tennessee-trans-rights-minor-care-anti-lgbtq-laws)** > > It turns out that even 150 years ago, legislators wanted to police gender expression in public spaces. > **[Opinion | Tennessee and the Anti-Drag Race](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/06/opinion/tennessee-drag-bill-lgbtq.html?unlocked_article_code=JO5nEuZ6ySbicN1I2TRLCCycjpX1NSh9m1ZRgZIe8f8zDgDHgAdjf1UDx6PK_Grb2ECHU7PppjB_51Zs17_TwHJTkH4jwu7u-nZMoftS8_V_38OLEATk59Z79wFakaOy-aWPXFjd21dMQpPMiLW92jjIl9gTBYe8yHF2iQP2pHd-SkKHmrSyujz2eg9dVzQcZlLr-utQcEs3dh9HC9F0KYUycSL99tdVwuTCQVr8e1LjPD3A5QgNiE9r9-nBN0rwblab0MV-z794XrL3Zc173RuMBMIOXkqXKprQXkY13KXW6T_10GSmOM7XbDIETtphzYnhE6SVy4GmUhR6oM5A5UT-MA&smid=url-share)** > > The right has found a more vulnerable subset of the L.G.B.T.Q. community to attack. (gift link) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/467 "2023-03-08T01:08:29Z")
Pride parades are going to be _tense._ ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/468 "2023-03-08T01:15:46Z")
If I were a more courageous man, I’d go there this June, get up in drag for the first time, and get arrested with all the other brave people who are going to do just that. God bless them and God damn Tennessee Republicans. Just goddamn. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/469 "2023-03-08T01:23:07Z")
The Pride parade in Nashville this summer needs to have every drag queen dressed up as Dolly Parton. It may not have the salience of the 1960s protestors being beaten with clubs and sprayed with water cannons, but the image of a bunch of men being arrested for dressing as country music’s leading female legend might be able to sway some hearts and minds of people in the center, I would hope. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/470 "2023-03-08T03:44:31Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > > who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest Hmmm… > United States, supra. In a footnote in Roth, the Court discussed at some length the meaning of the term “prurient.” The Court first defined material appealing to “prurient interest” as material “ **having a tendency to excite lustful thoughts**.” …I wonder, would a fat ugly guy in drag be considered to have “a tendency to excite lustful thoughts”? I’m not sure, but I’d love to see them trying to argue that in court. “Are you telling me that you’ve got the hots for me?” “… Yes.” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/471 "2023-03-08T06:46:38Z")
> [@SwissMan](#): > > The Pride parade in Nashville this summer needs to have every drag queen dressed up as Dolly Parton. …with actual Dolly in Kenny Rogers drag. Singing “Lady”. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/472 "2023-03-08T09:43:32Z")
My ukulele act includes a large number of very sincere Taylor Swift covers. I’m a dude. So, female impersonator? Yep. Providing entertainment? You bet. Appeals to a prurient interest? I like to think I have a certain flair. I have some TN gigs coming up. Guess I’d better make them 18+. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/473 "2023-03-08T12:18:13Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > …with actual Dolly in Kenny Rogers drag. Singing “Lady”. Not that I want to put a national treasure in danger, but some of the Dolly impersonators I’ve see look more like her than she does. I’d like her to just be walking the parade, vamping it up, and get hauled in (gently, of course). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/474 "2023-03-08T13:02:13Z")
It kind of feels like someone in the parade should be dressed as Hypatia. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/475 "2023-03-08T13:07:48Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > I’d like her to just be walking the parade, vamping it up, and get hauled in (gently, of course). Do you want a Civil War? Putting your hands on Dolly Parton is how you get a Civil War. I’m mostly joking, but she _is_ pretty beloved (at least in my circle and reading choices). ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/476 "2023-03-08T18:42:51Z")
Please forgive the hi-jack, but many folks don’t know that Dolly Parton has given over [200,000,000 books](https://imaginationlibrary.com/) to young children. Tell parents of young children about the program, it makes her happy. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/477 "2023-03-08T19:06:39Z")
She’s done a whole lot on the philanthropy front. > **[A timeline of Dolly Parton's philanthropy](https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/a_timeline_of_dolly_partons_philanthropy/s1__28363436#slide_18)** > > She's long been a champion for causes that range from childhood literacy to environmental conservation, donated $1 million to help develop the COVID-19 vaccine, and received $100 million from billionaire Jeff Bezos to continue her charitable work in... She has also advocated for transgender rights. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/478 "2023-03-08T19:10:33Z")
Education is the key. I just like to take every opportunity available to point out her free book program because it isn’t nearly as well known as it should be. Hi-jack over, sorry mods! ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/479 "2023-03-09T00:45:31Z")
She entered a drag queen contest and lost to a Dolly impersonater . > **[Dolly Parton Once Entered a Dolly Look-Alike Contest and Lost — To a Man](https://www.womansworld.com/posts/entertainment/dolly-parton-lookalike-164680)** > > When she entered a Dolly Parton look-alike contest, Dolly herself lost to a drag queen! Here's the hilarious story of how it happened. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609/480 "2023-03-09T05:32:53Z")
I recently read about a bill being proposed somewhere that REQUIRED schoolteachers who suspected that a child might be trans to tell the parents. Get real. How would something like that be enforced, and think about this: What about a teacher who, for some reason, didn’t like a child, and knew that telling the parents that the child was trans, whether it was true or not, could cause some very big problems? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-war-on-transgender-people-omnibus-thread/965609.md?page=25)