‘Horrifying’ Republican 2024 race could be catastrophic for young LGBTQ+ Americans, activists say

With alarming speed, anti-trans rhetoric has become a defining factor in the Republican race towards the 2024 presidential election – and it has activists concerned that ‘blood thirsty’ and ‘extreme’ bases will hurt an already vulnerable community. 

The Republican party and conservative media have made it clear that the lives of trans people and the broader LGBTQ+ community will continue to be weaponised for the forseeable future, with 17 months remaining until the 2024 election.

This blatant prejudice has been abundant as the field of Republican presidential candidates grapples for the party nomination. The first couple months of the race saw Donald Trump and his vice president Mike Pence take swipes at gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth while Ron DeSantis continues to rage against the proliferation of ‘wokeness’ in the US. 

Ari Drennen, LGBTQ+ programme director for Media Matters for America, says that so far, the race has been “pretty horrifying”.