On that day in 2020, I decided to take control of my body and my future to exercise my agency. Can we honestly treat my decision as fundamentally separate from someone else’s choice to terminate a pregnancy? In response to Republican intrusions into private, medical matters, both a trans person and a cisgender woman might use the same phrase: “Mind your own business.”

However, at the Democratic Convention trans issues have received disappointingly little air timeonly mentioned by two speakers, neither of whom is trans. On the other hand, the party’s previous two conventions have spotlighted trans politicians Sarah McBride and Danica Roem.

While Democrats have been silent this year, there was no shortage of anti-trans sentiment at the Republican Convention. For example, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) attacked the Democratic campaign for its alleged “sexualizing and indoctrinating our children.” If that’s not enough, at a Moms for Liberty conference in August, Trump did what he does best: He told a rash, bold-faced lie, warning parents, “Your child goes to school and comes home a few days later with surgery.”

Walz, in a recent interview at We can do hard things podcastsadvocated appointing judges and drafting legislation to protect the right of trans-Americans to “be who (they) are.” Other Democrats, unfortunately, have chosen to defend themselves rather than support trans people. In response to attacks from his opponent, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.), in an ad, rejected claims that he voted to allow trans women to compete in women’s sports.

The reluctance of Democrats to engage on these issues is hopeless and confusing. When I listen to Republican lawmakers bragging about enshrining transphobia into law, I’m just horrified. And when there is no one to defend me? It’s just frustrating. But perhaps we can decipher where this silence comes from: Republicans have committed to campaigning on the issue. Clearly, they see this hateful rhetoric as an advantage. Maybe Democrats agree; i just don’t see this as a fight i can win.

At present, 63% of US adults believe abortion should be legal in all or most situations, according to a poll released in May by the Pew Research Center. In contrast, only 38% recognize that a person’s gender may differ from the sex assigned at birth. This figure, based on data captured in May 2022, is down 6% from September 2017.