Anti-Trans Ad Hopes to Stop Ohio Voters From Protecting Abortion Rights

Does the GOP have any message other than transphobia?

by Evan Urquhart

A flailing, transphobia-addled GOP is hoping their misleading anti-trans messages can help push through an amendment to the state constitution of Ohio. The amendment, which has zero connection to trans issues whatsoever, would make it harder to amend the state constitution of Ohio. It’s been rushed by Republicans onto the ballot for an upcoming August special election as Issue 1, with the hope of sandbagging an upcoming vote on another amendment to protect abortion rights during the regular election next November.

“You promised to keep the bad guys away. Protect her,” the voiceover intones. “Now’s your chance. Out of state special interests that put trans ideology in classrooms and encourage sex changes for kids are hiding behind slick ads. Don’t be fooled. You can keep this madness out of Ohio classrooms.”

Again, though the ad claims a Yes vote would “keep this madness out of Ohio classrooms” there is exactly zero connection whatsoever between Issue 1 and trans issues, in the classroom or anywhere else. There is a connection between Issue 1 and abortion, because if Issue 1 passes it will be harder for a majority of voters to force an amendment to the Ohio constitution that would protect abortion rights. According to local news coverages, Ohio currently allows constitutional amendments with a majority vote, but a Yes vote on Issue 1 would raise the threshold for changing the state constitution to require 60 percent of voters to approve.

The GOP has increasingly made anti-trans politics the party’s central issue, as the party’s extreme position on abortion and fringe candidates have made them less palatable to the American mainstream.