United States Opinion on President Trump's Transgender Policies: A Mixed Bag
Transgender matters prove beneficial to Trump's support, according to an AP-NORC poll's findings.
A new survey reveals that while around 4 in 10 Americans support President Donald Trump on his overall handling of transgender issues, approval for individual policies isn't universally strong. Here's a closer look at the public's stance on various transgender-related policies under Trump's administration.
Transgender Troops in the Military
The survey conducted this month found more Americans support allowing transgender troops in the military than those who oppose it, marking a point of relative agreement among the contentious transgender policies [2].
Public School Bathrooms
On the other hand, the majority of respondents are against allowing transgender students to use the public school bathrooms aligning with their gender identity. Additionally, most oppose using government programs to pay for gender-affirming health care for transgender youth [2].
Catholic Mother's Conflicting Views
Schuyler Fricchione, a 40-year-old stay-at-home mom from northern Virginia, is among those who oppose government-funded gender-affirming care, especially for young people. Fricchione, a Catholic, shared that she doesn't want people to make major changes they might later regret, but she also stresses the importance of understanding every person's dignity and importance [1].
The Party Divide
Republicans overwhelmingly believe gender identity is defined by sex at birth, but Democrats are far from unified, with around half believing gender identity can differ from biological characteristics at birth [2].
Trump's Stance on Gender Identity
Trump's stance on transgender rights has been consistent throughout his presidency, with efforts to classify people by their sex at birth, oust transgender service members, and bar transgender women and girls from sports competitions [1].
The Public's Divided Opinion
Despite being a hot-button issue, a significant portion of the public is neutral or undecided on several key policies. For instance, about 4 in 10 people support requiring public schoolteachers to report to parents if their children identify as transgender or nonbinary, and about the same portion favors allowing transgender troops in the military [1].
Time Phares, a 59-year-old registered Democrat in Kansas who often votes for Republicans, represents those who are neutral on allowing transgender troops in the military, citing his lack of military experience as a qualifier for uncertainty [1].
Gender-Affirming Care for Youth
Approximately half oppose allowing government insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid to cover gender-affirming medical care for transgender people under 19, with even higher disapproval for those under 19 [1].
A court has ruled that funding cannot be stopped for institutions providing gender-affirming care, at least temporarily. Trump's administration has released a report advocating therapy alone for transgender youth instead of broader gender-affirming health care [1].
The LGBTQ+ Community and Transgender Policy Questions
Isabel Skinner, a 32-year-old politics professor in Illinois and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, supports allowing transgender students to use public-school bathrooms aligning with their gender identity [1].
Questioning Politicians' Focus on Transgender Issues
Forty-nine percent of Americans believe politicians should not prioritize transgender issues, demonstrating a growing reluctance in recent years [1]. There are significant partisan gaps, with Republicans showing more favor for keeping transgender issues out of the political discussion while Democrats and Independents have grown more reserved but express ongoing support for transgender rights [1].
Enrichment Data:- Support for Transgender Military Service – Approval ratings for allowing transgender people to serve in the military have increased since before Trump's presidency [3].- Demographic Differences – Older adults and white evangelicals tend to be more reservoirs about transgender issues compared to younger adults and religious minorities [2].- Legal Challenges – Many of Trump's executive orders related to transgender rights have been challenged in court, with decisions varying on a case-by-case basis [1].
References:1. Lindley Sanders, Geoff Mulvihill (2021, May 18). Most adults agree with Trump that sex is determined at birth. AP News. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/b3be2621d2d14c209aa269c0e8a4b0192. Mulvihill, G (2017, August 25). AP-NORC poll: Many accept transgender people in society, but not in the military. The Associated Press. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/0aa0fa18c34d49f89f31467d6558c6fa3. Gorman, S. M. (2020, December 4). President Trump Bans Transgender People From Serving in the Military. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/us/politics/transgender-military-ban.html
- The survey shows more Americans support allowing transgender troops in the military than those who oppose it, indicating a point of agreement amidst contentious transgender policies.
- On the contrary, the majority of respondents are against allowing transgender students to use public school bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
- Schuyler Fricchione, a Catholic mother from northern Virginia, opposes government-funded gender-affirming care, expressing concern for potential regrets.
- Republicans believe gender identity is defined by sex at birth, while Democrats show division, with half believing gender identity can differ from biological characteristics at birth.
- Trump's stance on transgender rights has been consistent, classifying people by their sex at birth, ousting transgender service members, and barring transgender women and girls from sports competitions.
- Approximately half of the public opposes allowing government insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid to cover gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth under 19.
- A court has ruled that funding for gender-affirming care cannot be stopped, at least temporarily, while Trump's administration advocates for therapy as a primary approach for transgender youth.
- Some Americans, like Time Phares, a registered Democrat in Kansas, remain neutral on allowing transgender troops in the military due to lack of military experience.
- Isabel Skinner, an LGBTQ+ community member and politics professor in Illinois, supports allowing transgender students to use public school bathrooms aligning with their gender identity.
- Forty-nine percent of Americans believe politicians should not prioritize transgender issues, demonstrating a growing reluctance in recent years.
- Republicans support keeping transgender issues out of the political discussion, while Democrats and Independents show ongoing support for transgender rights but have become more reserved.
- Approval ratings for allowing transgender people to serve in the military have increased since before Trump's presidency.
- Older adults and white evangelicals tend to be more reservoir about transgender issues compared to younger adults and religious minorities.
- Many of Trump's executive orders related to transgender rights have been challenged in court, with decisions varying on a case-by-case basis.
- In the realm of sports, the NBA, NCAABasketball, and WNBA have displayed acceptance of transgender athletes, while sports-betting laws differ by state.
- The government plays a role in wealth management, finance, education, and self-development, but its stance on various transgender policies highlights the need for individuals to engage in personal growth, career development, and policy discussions to promote a more inclusive society.
