Context:

Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, reflects on the setbacks faced by the trans rights movement and the broader left, emphasizing the need for a more effective strategy to win public support. McBride argues that the movement must engage in genuine dialogue and persuasion rather than relying on social media's polarizing tendencies, which often amplify extreme views and hinder constructive conversations. She highlights the importance of meeting people where they are and creating a space for grace in politics, allowing for disagreement and growth within the movement. McBride warns against the dangers of absolutism and stresses the need for a pragmatic approach that balances immediate demands with long-term public opinion shifts. She also discusses the broader challenges of maintaining a liberal democratic approach in an era where both sides of the political spectrum are increasingly illiberal.

Dive Deeper:

• Sarah McBride points out that the trans rights movement has struggled to maintain public support, as recent polling indicates a decline in approval for trans rights, including protections against discrimination and healthcare coverage for gender transition. This decline is part of a broader regression in public attitudes towards gender issues.

• McBride identifies a well-coordinated, well-funded effort to demonize trans people, coupled with a false sense of security within the LGBTQ movement post-marriage equality, as key factors contributing to the movement's setbacks. She argues that this false sense of security led to complacency and a failure to engage in meaningful, persuasive conversations.

• She emphasizes the importance of persuasion and grace in politics, advocating for a strategy that focuses on meeting people where they are and allowing for disagreement and growth within the movement. McBride highlights the need to engage with public opinion and create a space for dialogue that fosters understanding and support for trans rights.

• McBride critiques the role of social media in amplifying extreme and condemnatory content, which she believes undermines the capacity for productive conversations and persuasion. She argues that social media creates a false perception of reality and warps public opinion, making it difficult to engage in meaningful dialogue.

• She stresses the importance of maintaining a liberal democratic approach that allows for diversity of thought and disagreement, warning against the dangers of absolutism and the risk of fostering illiberalism. McBride calls for a pragmatic approach that balances immediate demands with long-term shifts in public opinion, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and strategic movement.