Opinion: Democrats aren't doing enough to fight off GOP's trans hate

Donald Trump is using the final days of the campaign to exploit fears about yet another group of people.

The Republican presidential nominee's campaign has spent at least $17 million on ads about Vice President Kamala Harris for a 2019 stance on providing trans-affirming health care to people in prison. The issue has not been part of her 2024 campaign, although she was questioned about it in a recent Fox News interview. These anti-trans ads have aired more than 30,000 times.

“Kamala is for they/them,” one ad reads. “Trump is for you.”

The Republicans are no strangers to using a marginalized group of people to stoke fear. We’ve seen how they talk about immigrants in dehumanizing ways. The trans panic talking points are just more hate.

The GOP will continue spreading hatred of transgender people on the road to Election Day. The left can’t keep pretending the issue doesn't exist. It's a good opportunity for Democrats to win voters, like the 38% who told Gallup that transgender rights are "extremely important" or "very important" when making their decision in this election. It might win over a few voters, but that's what it will take to win this........

© USA TODAY