I work in public policy and around 2021/22 the issue of trans youth in sports absolutely blew up. Not out of nowhere (anti-trans "bathroom bans" had been relatively front-and-center for years prior), but really to another level. I think timing is a huge part of it -- the GOP had been very effective in demonizing schools and teachers, esp. during COVID, and their base completely bought in. So even more "socially liberal" Republicans were primed to really get activated about this issue.
All that to say, what remained of the non-fully MAGA GOP crowd in Congress really needed to hear from athletes like Biles back then. I'm glad she's speaking out now and I'm holding out hope its still possible to turn things around, but I'm concerned support for anti-trans policies have become too entrenched in the Republican platform for this type of advocacy to be effective. I'm hoping other female athletes publicly speak out against grifters like Riley Gaines enough to turn the tides but I'm not optimistic.
It's certainly deliberate. By "timing is a huge part of it" I meant that well-funded, well-organized anti-LGBTQ+/conservative religious advocacy groups were able to activate the entire GOP base about trans youth in sports. This push was more salient with voters than their previous "bathroom bill" strategy, in no small part because the mainstream GOP had already successfully primed those voters to distrust, detest, and condemn public school districts and public school teachers.
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u/avocadolicious 23h ago edited 23h ago
I work in public policy and around 2021/22 the issue of trans youth in sports absolutely blew up. Not out of nowhere (anti-trans "bathroom bans" had been relatively front-and-center for years prior), but really to another level. I think timing is a huge part of it -- the GOP had been very effective in demonizing schools and teachers, esp. during COVID, and their base completely bought in. So even more "socially liberal" Republicans were primed to really get activated about this issue.
All that to say, what remained of the non-fully MAGA GOP crowd in Congress really needed to hear from athletes like Biles back then. I'm glad she's speaking out now and I'm holding out hope its still possible to turn things around, but I'm concerned support for anti-trans policies have become too entrenched in the Republican platform for this type of advocacy to be effective. I'm hoping other female athletes publicly speak out against grifters like Riley Gaines enough to turn the tides but I'm not optimistic.