Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric dominated 2024 election campaigns on both federal and state levels.
Inflammatory ads from President-elect Donald Trump portrayed LGBTQ+ people, particularly transgender people, as threats to children and traditional values. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, Trump’s victory has raised urgent questions about what lies ahead for their protections and rights.
“It’s frightening to realize that the person who is running the country can, to gain the most support, say anything about queer or transgender people or any group of people at all, and their supporters will listen,” Julie Gaetano, a junior environmental and conservation biology major, said. “It doesn’t matter if what they say is the truth; people will believe it just because the politician they support has said it.”
Trump’s first term set a precedent of rollbacks on federal protections for LGBTQ+ people. Once in office in 2017, his administration erased almost every mention of the LGBTQ+ community on federal websites. In 2020, the Trump administration removed healthcare and health insurance protections for LGBTQ+ individuals and redefined “sex-discrimination” to be only applicable to cisgender men and women.
Leading up to the 2024 election, Republicans funded almost $215 million worth of anti-trans ads, including Trump’s infamous ad that stated, “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.”
On the campaign trail, Trump made many promises for “day one” of his second presidential term, such as revoking Title IX protections for genderqueer people and cutting funding for schools that teach “critical race theory, transgender insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content.”
Gaetano said she is most worried about the spread of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric following Trump’s win.
“So often, I feel like I hear something about how kids are indoctrinated by queer people, drag shows are damaging to the youth or children are getting sex-change surgery,” Gaetano said. “These are absolutely misconceptions, but to anyone somewhat unfamiliar with the queer community, they may sound scary enough to rile up homophobia or transphobia.”
Trump also has plans to remove protections for transgender military members.
“There was a headline that [Trump] will medically discharge all transgender people in the military and ban future recruitment of transgender people,” Patrick Miller, an associate professor of political science at Kent State, said. “He can do that through executive order.”
Miller explained that both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris focused their campaigns on energizing their established bases rather than appealing to more moderate voters.
“We are in this era of hyper-polarization with very few persuadable people,” Miller said. “In the last couple years, we’ve seen Republicans increasingly emphasize transgender rights because it’s a safe issue politically. Also, a lot of Americans … are not comfortable with certain things, like medically transitioning or [transgender people in] sports.”
While the federal election results have raised concerns for transgender rights, many worry about transgender rights on the state level as well.
In late November, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill that bans transgender K-12 students from using the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. This law, often referred to as a “bathroom bill,” makes Ohio the 15th state to pass a restriction of this kind. Some fear it may set a dangerous example for legislation in other states.
“I think that legislators and local governments will be more comfortable and confident to pass laws that severely limit the civil rights of people in the [LGBTQ+] community, especially trans people,” Annie Wendt, a sophomore peace and conflict studies and political science major, said. “I am terrified for my rights and future, as well as the rights and future of my trans loved ones.”
Wendt’s fears are not unfounded. After the 2024 election, Republicans hold a 6-1 majority in the Ohio Supreme Court, which is fueling some worries about rulings against the queer community.
“The Ohio Supreme Court is already not friendly toward transgender rights,” Miller said. “Voters have solidified that unfriendliness for Lord only knows how many more years.”
This shift in Ohio’s Supreme Court reflects a broader trend in American politics. With Republican majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, Miller believes that “nothing’s going to get through that would promote LGBTQ rights.”
The Republican-controlled Congress can stall efforts to expand LGBTQ+ rights on the federal level as well as advance any of the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation Trump proposed during his campaign. Miller pointed out that young voters often focus on the presidential race while neglecting state and local elections, which can lead to one party dominating the government.
“You can protest and post on social media all you want, but if you’re not voting and you’re not changing the people who are in power, then all of that protest and expressing yourself amounts to absolutely nothing,” Miller said. “You also need to vote for Congress. You need to vote for state Supreme Court races, your local judges. Vote your whole ticket.”
For Sarah Schmidt, a junior theatre studies major, the 2024 election results are a heavy blow.
“I truly don’t know if there’s anything that gives me hope for the LGBTQ+ community moving forward,” Schmidt said. “I’m just scared that people will have to go back into hiding because it’s safer.”
However, not all members of the community have given into despair. Victories for the LGBTQ+ community, such as the first transgender member of Congress, Sarah McBride, offer glimmers of hope.
Many in the LGBTQ+ community see the election as a call to action.
“I have hope that this will bring us together more, and I have hope that this tragic outcome will empower us to stand up for our rights as one,” Wendt said. “I’m hoping this leads to more protests to gain public attention, not just from members of the community but also from our allies, especially those who hold power or public support in our country and system.”
While the election is over, Gaetano said the fight for LGBTQ+ rights continues.
“This just means that so many people have struggled and fought to get the rights that all of us have today, LGBTQ+ or not, and that it’s our turn to fight now,” Gaetano said.
Grace Claxon is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].