The Contemporary Republican Party is becoming well known for its treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, and other minorities

 

“…Of course, some states have passed laws that could confuse someone trying to distinguish legislation enacted by the Nazis targeting Jews and legislation in the United States targeting those with different sexual orientation from the legislators enacting the laws in the United States.

“In Ohio, legislation has been passed that bans gender-affirming care for youth who have gender dysphoria and bans Ohio residents from going to another state for abortions.

“In Montana, a law was just signed that bans transgender care for minors and prohibits transitional hormone treatments and surgeries for transgender people under the age of 18.

“Idaho has just passed a law that criminalizes gender-affirming health care for youth who have gender dysphoria and bans puberty blockers and hormones for people under age 18.

“Since the first of the year more than a dozen states have passed legislation affecting the medical rights of their citizens. There are other areas in which apparent similarities are in fact not similarities…

“In Tennessee, legislators voted to expel two of their black members. (A third person who participated in the offensive conduct was not expelled. She was white.) Republican members of the Tennessee legislature were quick to explain that the legislators who were expelled were expelled because of their breach of decorum on the floor of the legislature and not because of the color of their skin or their sexual preferences…

“One of the Republicans who voted to expel his two black colleagues said the two had acted with ‘disrespect’ and showed ‘no remorse’ for their actions. He said they had conducted a ‘mutiny.’

“In Montana, Democratic lawmaker Zooey Zephyr is a transgender member of the Montana House of Representatives. Zooey was banned from attending or speaking during floor sessions of the House and will only be allowed to vote remotely during the last days of the session.

“That is because she spoke out against a bill passed by her colleagues that bans gender-affirming care. She is a transgender member of the legislature that can longer fully participate on behalf of her constituents…

“Although DeSantis has received the most publicity for banning books, Texas has in fact banned the most books. It has banned 800 books in 22 school districts. DeSantis comes in second best having banned 566 books in 21 of the state’s school districts. DeSantis has, among other things, banned books that deal with issues related to race…

“Like Florida, Pennsylvania has many book bans in place and in many counties has banned books that are centered on people of color…

“The United States is becoming well known for its treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, and other minorities.”

 

-Christopher Brauchli, Common Dreams