His descriptions of ‘gender-affirming’ care are ‘revolting’ and ‘misleadingly […] incite shock, concern and disgust’ A University of Tampa English professor claims President Trump’s highlighting the inanity of men playing in women’s sports and minors getting “gender-affirming” procedures leads to “anti-transgender views” among the public. [snip] A catalyst for his second victory in 2024 was a $21 million GOP “anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ advertising campaign,” she says. “The White House has denied the existence of trans identity,” Nelson writes, “and states have introduced a deluge of legislation that restricts trans people’s rights and protections, from access to healthcare to passports.” [snip] U. Tampa Nevertheless, Nelson (pictured) invokes the 17th-century “moral panic” of the Salem witch trials, as well as last century’s War on Drugs — examples which “stoke[d] fear against a perceived threat to a society’s values or well-being.” Research on anti-trans moral panics illustrates their success in propelling anti-trans lawmaking in the U.S. and suggests they are often initiated by people with power, who use their platforms to shape public discourse. [snip] Moral panics elicit a range of negative emotions, but disgust and paranoia are especially potent. Originally a response meant to protect us from disease and spoiled food, disgust has evolved to also express social inappropriateness. Disgust asserts that its object is inherently bad. Since disgust is culturally dependent, it can also be used to marginalize groups of people. [snip] She concludes in part that as a “rhetoric scholar,” she believes Trump uses “allusions to religion and war – using words like ‘desecrate’ and ‘victory,’ respectively,” to assert the country is in the midst of “a battle between good and evil.” (*) Full article: https://www.thecollegefix.com/u-tampa-english-professor-claims-trumps-words-contribute-to-declining-support-for-trans-rights/ Post navigation Teen lifeguard reveals near-death battle to save boy from crushing California waves Mich. says water systems targeted in cyberattacks, FBI receives reports from multiple states
