since Politico has started yet another round of "here's how Dems should compromise on trans issues", I'll re-up my November essay about why this is not only immoral & unempirical, but BAD POLITICS: on Substack: juliaserano.substack.com/p/should-dem... & Medium: juliaserano.medium.com/should-democ... - ThreadSky

juliaserano.bsky.social • 3 days ago

since Politico has started yet another round of "here's how Dems should compromise on trans issues", I'll re-up my November essay about why this is not only immoral & unempirical, but BAD POLITICS:
on Substack: https://juliaserano.substack.com/p/should-democrats-throw-trans-people
& Medium: https://juliaserano.medium.com/should-democrats-throw-trans-people-under-the-bus-c4ffd223af8c?sk=aa9b608bc0f43ae717000e26dc0cbb0e

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epee.cc•2 days ago

I just don't even know what it is that democrats are *supposed* to stand for anymore. They roll over on every issue that matters except the ones they are already in agreement with Republicans on, and they seem to have no identity beyond "slightly less terrible Republicans."

epee.cc•2 days ago

They don't even seem to treat winning elections as a high priority. It's like they're a money laundering scam pretending to be a political party.

epee.cc•2 days ago

By which I mean: their milquetoast platforms and strategies keep losing and they keep doubling down on them. Their most popular figures are the radicals and they do their best to sell those figures under the rug and sabotage their careers. What the fuck are they claiming to try to accomplish?

epee.cc•2 days ago

Like I know the cynical and borderline conspiracy theory suggestions for what they're really trying to do already--I'm asking what how they're even trying to sell it. Or if they even are trying to sell it anymore. Are they just an abandoned automaton repeating its last obstructions until it breaks?

epee.cc•2 days ago

I meant to say "instructions" but "obstructions" is actually oddly appropriate for what they're doing.

skreee.bsky.social•3 days ago

📌

leiracal.bsky.social•3 days ago

In the intervening months since, the argument I've encountered has almost exclusively taken the form of "it doesn't *matter* if we throw you under the bus; we still claim we're better for you on every issue than the Republicans are, so it's *your* fault what happens to you if you don't vote for us."

leiracal.bsky.social•3 days ago

I bring it up because it's more or less a direct refutation of the position you're taking in the article. Your claim that they shouldn't alienate substantial portions of their base has been countered by an outright declaration that the marginalized can only ask they remain the lesser of two evils.

juliaserano.bsky.social•3 days ago

but that stance (theirs) is stupid, because US elections (where a third of the electorate or more doesn't even bother to vote) are won & lost by turning out voters. while very few LGBTQ+ ppl will turn GOP, they may simply stay home or vote 3rd party if Dems sell them out. I address this in my piece

leiracal.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yes, but it IS the prevailing response from anyone who's been advocating for the strategy being discussed: that 2024 was 100% the fault of all who advocated for the abandoned, and if abandonment lost an election, it's because we weren't abandoned *enough* for moderates.

That's the underlying claim.

leiracal.bsky.social•3 days ago

I find this absolutely critical to understanding the zeitgeist, because it means we're not only being abandoned, but that all of these people are willing to lose everything for everyone if it means they can retain personal power and abandon us with a clear conscience.

We can't reason with that.

juliaserano.bsky.social•3 days ago

...when my essay came out, I made this thread of excerpts (scroll up & down if you wish). here's one point that the "Dems should compromise on trans issues" pundits never address:
https://bsky.app/profile/juliaserano.bsky.social/post/3lape5ml3v22c

juliaserano.bsky.social•3 days ago

...adding this to the thread because I'm not sure why we're even listening to Dem centrists at this point. they don't stand for anything other than what "polls well" or what "worked in the past". & we're in a very different times now...
https://bsky.app/profile/ositanwanevu.com/post/3lqdpzoacu22w

littlemxsurly.yharnam.singles•3 days ago

I really wish “no, that’s immoral and you should feel bad for considering it” was an acceptable on it’s own but here we are :(

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