“We see it now: The hate has shifted to the trans community,” Walz said. “They see that as an opportunity. If you’re watching any sporting events right now, you see that Donald Trump’s closing arguments are to demonize a group of people for being who they are.”

“We’re out there trying to make the case that access to healthcare, a clean environment, manufacturing jobs, and keeping your local hospital open are what people are really concerned about,” he continued. “They’re running millions of dollars of ads demonizing folks who are just trying to live their lives.”

  • inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world
    2114·
    16 days ago

    I’m honestly heartened to hear Waltz specfically voice support for trans folk. This is opposed to Harris who said she would follow the law in regards to my community, which sounds good but I need everyone to understand that it could be said by a governor in a southern state enforcing anti trans legislation. Waltz actually went the distance to say we should to be legally left alone. There is a stark difference between these two statements, even if I glad to hear both.

    • CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      1055·
      16 days ago

      We’re just a few weeks away from the election. The candidates have two different but important roles.

      • Presidential candidate: keep the base in line while not alienating swing voters
      • VP candidate: say things that the presidential candidate can’t say

      As much as you may want Harris to say something like “We will defend the trans community,” it’s going to alienate swing voters.

      It makes no earthly sense the election is this close but it is. Kamala can’t afford a misstep but Tim can.

      • inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world
        50·
        16 days ago

        I completely understand that and I do not fault Harris for giving a precise diplomatic answer in the Fox interview on what some voters see as a sensitive issue. Which is difficult for me to even type because the concept of my existence is a “political issue” to some.

        However, I do take exception with it being characterized as “Harris announce support for trans community”, because that’s just not what she said. Which is why I am happy to hear Waltz clarify and go further.

        • TheCannonball@lemmy.world
          14·
          16 days ago

          Hey, I just wanted to tell you something cause it sounds like you might be in a bad place. Even with all of the political finger pointing surrounding your identity, you need to know something very important.

          Your life matters. Your experiences matter. Your feelings matter.

          You matter.

          Ignore all the hatred and all the fear. Ignore the bigotry and close mindedness. Ignore it all and know that there are so many people out there that will love you and support you and accept you.

          You are not alone.

          • fadingembers@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
            15·
            16 days ago

            We can’t ignore it when they’re constantly passing more and more draconian laws that make our lives infinitely harder all across the United States.

            • TheCannonball@lemmy.world
              7·
              16 days ago

              You’re correct. But i also said Ignore and not “do nothing”. It’s possible to ignore the hate while still fighting for your rights.

        • CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          83·
          16 days ago

          I hate to say it but everything is fucking political now. Yes it sucks that it’s tied to your identity but identity politics scores super easy points with conservatives because it’s so much easier to point out vs the massive wealth disparities between people like Musk and you and me.

      • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
        311·
        16 days ago

        Do you think swing voters might in fact be fucking morons? I’m so tired of the fate the world resting in the hands of low information people who seemingly command the memory and political acumen of the proverbial goldfish.

        • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
          23·
          16 days ago

          No fucking shit they’re morons. But you still need their votes to win. Democracy isn’t rule by the intelligent its rule by the people regardless of their intelligence

        • CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          11·
          16 days ago

          Oh no question. But even moron votes count (at least statistically speaking).

          So at this point, I fully expect Harris to run a much tighter ship than she has been and Trump to increase his very violent rhetoric.

      • mightyfoolish@lemmy.world
        13·
        16 days ago

        It’s insane the amount of trans hate I have been hearing this past month alone (in real life). I have to explain: Sure, they weren’t always front and center as today’s political issues make them seem but they still existed. Their existence is not a recent development in any way. Tiktok isn’t turning your kids into anything.

        It’s not just people who identify as Republicans or religious people either. I can see why the anti-queer vote is important to both parties; their numbers are staggering.

    • BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world
      17·
      16 days ago

      He doesn’t get nearly as much press as Vance which is sad. He just seems like a nice guy and awesome Dad and for that alone I’d be glad to have him as VP.

    • andros_rex@lemmy.world
      8·
      16 days ago

      Honestly called the gov office right after he got the nomination.

      I’m a teacher, I want to still be at least, but they’ve made it dangerous for trans people to exist in Oklahoma. There’s currently a court hold on ANY investigation based on gender identity discrimination in schools.

    • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
      7·
      15 days ago

      Harris spoke in support of funding all transgender healthcare as doctors see necessary, including for inmates, years ago and when asked to double down on that stance recently she did so.

        • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
          3·
          15 days ago

          https://www.factcheck.org/2024/10/harris-position-on-health-care-for-transgender-prisoners-and-detainees/

          The afformentioned ACLU stance survey was in 2019

          https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2024/08/Harris-ACLU-Candidate-Questionnaire.pdf

          1. As President will you use your executive authority to ensure that transgender and non- binary people who rely on the state for medical care — including those in prison and immigration detention — will have access to comprehensive treatment associated with gender transition, including all necessary surgical care? If yes, how will you do so?

          Yes X No ⬜

          Explanation (no more than 500 words): It is important that transgender individuals who rely on the state for care receive the treatment they need, which includes access to treatment associated with gender transition. That’s why, as Attorney General, I pushed the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide gender transition surgery to state inmates. I support policies ensuring that federal prisoners and detainees are able to obtain medically necessary care for gender transition, including surgical care, while incarcerated or detained. Transition treatment is a medical necessity, and I will direct all federal agencies responsible for providing essential medical care to deliver transition treatment.

          Despite it being seen as good and decent by us, many people here appear to be completely unaware while for conservatives this has been a huge anti-Harris talking point. Trump even brought it up during the debate.

    • JohnnyH842@lemmy.world
      5·
      15 days ago

      Hey not trying to be an internet jerk, just wanted to point out that his last name is Walz not “Waltz”. Hope you have a great day.

        • tbird83ii@lemmy.world
          2·
          15 days ago

          Yeah, the news can’t seem to get it correct, so i get your confusion. They also pronounce it “waltz”.

          Its really pronounced like “walls”.

    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
      34·
      16 days ago

      I’m glad Harris framed it that way. It’s a position that’s easy to make into a rough sound bite. The goal is always to not make the election about trans people. Politicians harping on trans issues regardless of position do poorly. Call opposition to us a real freak show move and talk about how real Americans want the Midwestern values of all of us just getting along at our manufacturing jobs.

    • Resonosity@lemmy.world
      315·
      16 days ago

      The Harris Administration is actively trying to silence Walz’s beliefs.

      It’s ironic because it’s Walz himself that has ignited support for Harris.

      So frustrating as a progressive

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      17·
      16 days ago

      Now wait a minute, he may speak perfect English without the faintest trace of a French accent, but I’m doubting he was born and raised in France like Captain Picard and his brother and his brother’s family.

    • Fuck Yankies@lemmy.ml
      221·
      16 days ago

      He ain’t no Frenchie. I think you mean Archer, or you’re probably as narrow-minded as the Vulcans, WHO WON’T LET US EXPLORE SPACE IN PEACE, which is what we have been working hard for and what daddy wanted for us 🎶🤠🎸🚀🦅🎶 Space pregnancy? Trip~! 😂👏🤣👏😅👏🤣👏😂

        • griD@feddit.orgEnglish
          1·
          15 days ago

          I’d like to humbly disagree: Quality and quantity matters, a lot.
          Huffing paint thinners is a bad idea obviously.

      • supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz
        3·
        15 days ago

        bro for real space exploring is hard tho, my dog peed on some apparently sacred tree and the aliens flipped out, it’s like sorry where else am I supposed to walk my dog? Maybe don’t have sacred sites that my dog thinks are for peeing on?

        • Fuck Yankies@lemmy.ml
          22·
          15 days ago

          ((Thanks for showing up - i got jumped by reddit goblins in this thread - Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra))

          • supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz
            11·
            14 days ago

            Fuck Yankies and Supersquirrel Pee On Either A Logo For A Sports Team Or A Country (both?) Beneath Lemmy.World In The Dungeon Of Torment.

            Our Eyes Raise Northward To The True Lords Of Batts And Mitts, The Wearers Of The Red Sox!!

      • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
        4·
        16 days ago

        Federal law prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures(including independent expenditures) and disbursements solicited, directed, received or made directly or indirectly by or from foreign nationals in connection with any federal, state or local election. So unless you know somebody with an international corporation then you cannot donate.

  • JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world
    341·
    15 days ago

    This is what a man looks like. Defending the persecuted because it matters, not a wimp hiding behind his daddy’s fortune or a loaded gun.

    • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
      91·
      15 days ago

      I like to imagine the primary we could have had if Biden had not insisted he could handle a campaign. But I also think Walz would not have been able to separate from the fracas of a Battle Royale. Kamala would have won, but who knows if she would have been battle-hardened or beat up.

  • GiddyGap@lemm.ee
    81·
    15 days ago

    Unfortunately, in the US, demonizing groups of people works. It gets voters to the polls. In 2028, it will just be the next group in line. It never ends.

  • flying_gel@lemmy.world
    138·
    16 days ago

    While still to the right of center of the political compass, I do really like how much closer to the center Walz is than the other and previous candidates.

  • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
    1120·
    16 days ago

    The cynic in me is telling me that taking time to speak about such a small demographic, all of whom already have a clear reason to side with him, won’t gain a single extra vote.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          212·
          16 days ago

          This you?

          The cynic in me is telling me that taking time to speak about such a small demographic, all of whom already have a clear reason to side with him, won’t gain a single extra vote.

          Then yes I was. It isn’t just about that demographic.

          • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
            19·
            15 days ago

            Me, a Democrat supporter, in this discussion on Lemmy of all places

            You think I need to be reminded that protecting minority demographics including trans is a popular stance? You think I didn’t know that information? You think that information detracts from the point that it’s not a stance capable of attracting swing voters this late in the election cycle?

            You’ve clearly built an opponent in your mind and its all you can see when you look at me. I shut his ass down immediately rather than engage in that conversation.

    • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
      23·
      16 days ago

      The point isn’t to get the trans vote. Like you say it’s kinda a no brainer for trans people to vote for anyone running against a transphobic guy.

      The point is to put out a rational response to what Trump is doing. Explain to people that might be worried about trans people that it’s just a tactic meant to distract people from the real issues.

      So get people to be less scared of trans people so they’ll focus on actual issues and vote Dem.

    • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
      23·
      16 days ago

      No, but:

      1. It will build enthusiasm and make it more likely for people to actually go out and vote.

      2. It’s the fucking right thing to do, and I’m glad to see a politician stand for it.

      • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        3·
        15 days ago

        And notably the first one does “gain extra votes”. And those voters who like rather than just accept their most closely aligned candidates will talk to other people in their orbit to get them out to vote. The votes to gain aren’t just a few clueless people in the center.

    • orcrist@lemm.ee
      17·
      15 days ago

      Of course it will get votes. Reminding people of basic human decency is a time honored campaign tactic, especially when the opponent is being a giant jerkface.

      • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
        23·
        15 days ago

        If people are only just now seeing which party aligns with basic human decency then my expectations are low.

    • iAvicenna@lemmy.world
      25·
      16 days ago

      Walz, Appealing to Muslim Voters, Says War in Gaza ‘Must End Now’

      Walz says Gaza demonstrators are protesting for ‘all the right reasons’ while condemning Hamas

      So late into the elections you wont get anything better than this with anything short of armed revolution. So I find it hard to understand what is your end game. If you keep going this path you will end up with this guy

      Trump: Biden is Too Tough on Netanyahu

      Trump insists it is not Putin’s fault he invaded Ukraine.

      vs this

      Harris says she won’t give up pushing for end to Israel-Gaza war

    • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      276·
      16 days ago

      And alienate a large part of their voting base weeks before the election? Yeah… No.

      I will wait for after they win before criticizing their Gaza plans. But until then, there are only two choices, and one of them has said that Biden is too hard on Netanyahu…

      • jagged_circle@feddit.nlEnglish
        413·
        16 days ago

        Lol wut? You mean attract the voting base. Most US Americans are not happy with Israel.

        • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
          32·
          16 days ago

          Unfortunately most Americans don’t even see this as genocide and see anything less than full support of Israel as a negative. Then of course there’s the huge bloc of hardcore Christians that think what Israel is doing is going to bring Jesus back. I imagine most of them are voting Republican anyway though.

          • jagged_circle@feddit.nlEnglish
            47·
            16 days ago

            That’s absolutely not true. Most US Americans may not see it as genocide, but most are opposed to sending weapons to gaza

            Let’s be real. Most US Americans are ambivalent. Most are neither Zionist nor antizionist. But most do not support Israel.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
        623·
        16 days ago

        And alienate a large part of their voting base weeks before the election? Yeah… No.

        Pro-genocide centrists are a valued constituency while anti-genocide progressives are not. You can tell by who the party listens to and who the party demands “blue no matter who” from.

            • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
              12·
              15 days ago

              If you can’t make the basic choice to support the candidates that stand up against full-blown Fascism in this country, you are an inhibitor to progress. Defeating Trump is a battle we must win if we’re going to win the proverbial war.

              Anyone campaigning against Harris or Walz right now is campaigning for Trump. Anyone campaigning for Trump should know that he’ll happily let Israel wipe Palestine off the map entirely. Don’t even fucking pretend you’re “anti-genocide”. There’s only one candidate that could actually deescalate this conflict, and if you’re going to fight back against them or blame them for this conflict, you’re a bad faith actor who has absolutely zero interest in real world outcomes for the victims of this Genocide you prop your narrative up with.

              Palestinian groups are backing Harris/Walz. Privileged American “leftists” are playing the same stupid purity game they play every 4 years, with zero regard to the real human lives on the line.

              • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
                2·
                15 days ago

                If you can’t make the basic choice to support the candidates that stand up against full-blown Fascism in this country, you are an inhibitor to progress.

                I’m voting for Harris. Keep ignoring it because you want to keep supporting genocide.

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          86·
          16 days ago

          Oh hey another username I keep seeing… Either you gotta start making new ones more often, or you need more than a couple people to manage all of these sockpuppet accounts.

          And… tagged.

          Good luck I guess…

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            15 days ago

            Either you gotta start making new ones more often, or you need more than a couple people to manage all of these sockpuppet accounts.

            I have zero sockpuppet accounts. Project more.

          • jagged_circle@feddit.nlEnglish
            510·
            16 days ago

            Wut? I’m a human. Why the fuck wooluld you think that just because I’m opposed to genocide that I must be a bot

            Do you not have the capacity for empathy?

    • Apollo42@lemmy.world
      11·
      15 days ago

      A true Zionist would want the result that gives Israel the most freedom to act as it wishes. Given that a trump victory would enable this, I can only assume that you yourself are a zionist.

  • eestileib@sh.itjust.works
    2584·
    17 days ago

    I would crawl across barbed wire to vote Harris this year, but I think she’d happily backstab the trans community if she got republican votes in exchange.

    Walz seems like an actual mensch.

    • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.mlOP
      893·
      17 days ago

      She defended trans people while on Fox in front of that republican audience. She shut down the line of anti-trans questioning fairly quickly

      She reaffirmed her commitment to following the law, which requires that transgender inmates receive medically necessary care, which includes gender affirming care. When pressed further, she pushed back, comparing Trump’s disproportionate spending on this issue to his lack of focus on the larger issues affecting the American people.

      https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/kamala-harris-shuts-down-fox-news

      • Kelly Aster 🏳️‍⚧️@lemmy.worldEnglish
        311·
        16 days ago

        Everyone’s overlooking the fact that she legitimized gender-affirming healthcare as medically necessary on live tv. And refused to walk it back. She’s not really what I’d consider a true ally, but she did us a real solid there.

      • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        826·
        16 days ago

        “I’m just gonna do what the law says, and btw he did it too” is not a defense of trans people. It’s minimizing the issue, which may be a wise sell towards actual Republicans, but it’s not an active defense of why you should be ok with trans people existing.

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          205·
          16 days ago

          Gotta love Lemmy apps that tag users… This person is a Jill Stein shill and acting in bad faith.

          Just for some context for you folks.

        • anticolonialist@lemmy.world
          43·
          15 days ago

          Dont you love when liberals talk down to you and your concerns as if they don’t exist? They co-opt the currently popular marginalized community and speak on their behalf while telling them to stay quiet, they are talking.

    • rockSlayer@lemmy.world
      941·
      17 days ago

      Walz walks the walk. MN is a sanctuary state for trans people in the Midwest. Age appropriate gender affirming care for minors is protected by law, and the state refuses to work with subpoenas about traveling for healthcare.

        • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
          24·
          16 days ago

          … The VP can’t overrule the president. They also cannot write laws. They do have a lot of things they can do though. Not sure what you think she was supposed to do that she hasn’t though, if it was about overruling past legislature, She can’t. You have to vote for Congress/senators for such.

          That’s on purpose… We were taught such in elementary school, middle school, and high school, but so many people seem to not remember anything.

          You don’t ask a judge to write a law, he’s in the wrong branch. Same with a VP.

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
            514·
            16 days ago

            The VP can’t overrule the president.

            She can differ from him on the campaign trail. She has chosen not to.

            • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
              85·
              16 days ago

              Good, she needs to win the election. Biden Beat Trump last time, trying to differentiate herself too much from him could tank her chances this time.

              Let’s see what happens once she’s in office. Or, I guess we can watch as Trump funnels infinite firepower to Israel so that they can “finish the job”. The voters will decide that, so maybe consider what’s actually at stake.

              • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
                3·
                15 days ago

                Good, she needs to win the election. Biden Beat Trump last time, trying to differentiate herself too much from him could tank her chances this time.

                Don’t see you whining when she moves to Biden’s right. Biden didn’t promise to appoint a Republican to his cabinet. You’re all in on that because it’s not the left you hate because the left opposes genocide.

          • anticolonialist@lemmy.world
            518·
            16 days ago

            In biden’s one and only press conference, he said that Harris agreed with every single policy of the administration and her input was crucial to him supporting anything.

            She’s also had a chance on the campaign trail to stray from his policies and she has not

    • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.mlOP
      79·
      17 days ago

      Walz promptly responded by discussing possible actions that he and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris could take.

      He talked about antidiscrimination laws he wanted, judge appointment, helping education about LGBTQ related topics, etc

      Mind you that Walz got a lot of policies through to help trans and queer people in Minnesota with a single seat majority

      He also was a founding faculity advisor of a gay-straight alliance in the early 90s when it was very not socially acceptable at all. He supported same-sex marriage before it was legalized nationally when running in a deep red seat despite that not really netting him any political points there

      • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
        18·
        16 days ago

        The deep red seat can’t be understated. That part of Minnesota makes absofuckinglutely no sense in its political distribution. It’s got what, two or three college towns, the Mayo Clinic, and the rest is a mix of redneck “country types” and farmers.

        Super highly educated area, but not densely populated. Big ol bunch of religious types too.

    • _bcron_@lemmy.worldEnglish
      301·
      17 days ago

      What are Republicans offering for trans rights? For something so polarizing I’d argue that simply standing up for it is anything but a hollow platitude. Let’s normalize it

      • hddsx@lemmy.ca
        34·
        17 days ago

        Oh man, they offer so much. They offer the opportunity to be called by your deadname for the rest of your life. They offer the opportunity to be use the wrong bathroom for the rest of your life. They offer to limit the sports that you can play. They offer the ability to prove you can stay ready and defensively yourself.

        • _bcron_@lemmy.worldEnglish
          12·
          17 days ago

          It was more a rhetorical question but I strongly believe Walz getting up there and saying something like “folks just trying to live their lives” isn’t hollow at all. Let’s all talk about how totally unobtrusive it all is, how it doesn’t affect thin-skinned little crybabies nearly as much as trying to mow a lawn at 5AM. Trans people affect bigots not at fucking all, if Pride is too much for these folk they need to quit showing up, right?

      • davidagain@lemmy.world
        5·
        16 days ago

        Some red states label cross dressing in front of children a sex crime, so they offer the chance to go to prison for wearing clothes they disapprove of! Not the easiest environment for exploring your gender.

        • davidagain@lemmy.world
          62·
          16 days ago

          Oh, the Republicans care. They care about their weird and nasty desire to opress trans folk a great deal.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          52·
          16 days ago

          Oh they care. They care a great deal. They care so much that they want to put trans people in conversion camps.

          • anticolonialist@lemmy.world
            24·
            15 days ago

            Republicans DONT PRETEND TO CARE. They will tell a person to their face that they think. The ones that will lie to our faces talking about caring so much than doing nothing while our backs are turned are the greater threat.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
              2·
              15 days ago

              Really? You think Democrats are a greater threat than the ones promising to take all trans rights away and put trans people in conversion camps because you’ve decided that Democrats are only pretending to care?

              • anticolonialist@lemmy.world
                25·
                15 days ago

                History has shown us time and again their inaction allows Republicans laws to take hold. Dems haven’t done shit in the face of the GOP passing over 500 anti trans laws. Dems are the greater threat because trans believe they have an ally in the person about to stab them in the back

    • orcrist@lemm.ee
      5·
      15 days ago

      … Come on. At least pick an issue where they are weak. This one is not even close.

      Why don’t you go for immigration or campaign financing or housing or health care? Those are softer targets.