Over the past month, California Governor Gavin Newsom has been making headlines for all the right reasons: he's led an effort to respond to Texas Republicans' push to further gerrymander their state, used his profile to pressure Border Patrol and ICE, and found a very effective-and hilarious-way to get under Trump's skin through his Press Office's parodies of the president's writing style. All of these actions have catapulted him to national stardom, where he's taken on the role of leading the fight against the Trump administration.
However, to the trans community, his rise only brings fear. Because before these developments, he was trying to win over potential voters in a very different way: by abandoning the LGBTQ+ community.
In the United States, California has long had a reputation. And not just for its stereotyped sunny weather, surfer culture, and affluent, snobby culture, but for its liberal politics as well. California Democrats are synonymous-especially in more Republican-leaning areas-with the liberal style of politics conservatives detest. It's so difficult to overcome that despite California's large population and plethora of Democratic figures with a national profile, of the three presidents from California, none of them have been Democrats.
Evidently, Newsom is facing an uphill battle. So he's set off to appear more palatable to conservatives, starting with LGBTQ+ issues. Beginning in 2024, he started attempting to suppress pro-LGBTQ+ bills while they were still in the legislature in order to keep him from having to either veto them-losing progressives-or sign them-angering conservatives. Then, he went public with his new opinions during a conversation with Charlie Kirk on his podcast earlier this year, calling trans athletes' participation in girls' and women's sports 'deeply unfair.' And more recently, he signalled he changed his stance on gender-affirming care for minors as well.
Is Newsom better or worse on that issue than the alternative? If you think he's worse, then I wonder who you think is the alternative?
Or is your comment also a thought terminating cliche itself?
It isn’t even the fucking midterms and I’m being told to eat shit and vote for someone who isn’t even the candidate yet, god I love politics.
Do you know what a primary is?
If we can’t criticize politicians before, during, or after the primary then it sounds a whole lot like we just can’t criticize them.
Who is the alternative? Seriously. I never said shit about voting.
I am open to these conversations and I am no fan of Newsom. That said, I am absolutely willing to give credit to people for the good things they do AND criticize them for the bad.
I don't find it productive to be saying that it is completely disqualifying for someone to have a bad policy position that is a significant improvement over the status quo.
If you’re not talking about voting then the alternative to what? Jesus.
If he was coming after your kids’ healthcare and access to an equal education you’d probably feel differently. But as always, trans people do not fit into the analysis of whether the status quo is improving or worsening and for whom.
Who else has the type of platform and the tools available to do these things that Newsom is getting credit for here that this article is referring to?
There are thousands of lawyers trying to get the regime to follow the law. That's awesome but a totally different thing. They're getting more of my dollars than any politician right now.
Zohran is exactly the type of politician I'd love to be doing this type of thing against Trump (and he kinda is) but he's just running for mayor, while Newsom is currently the governor of the most powerful state in the union.
Bernie and AOC captured us all on their tour, but what are they doing now? Should we be redirecting eyes from Newsom's shenanigans to them?
Really, what I am getting at is articles that are basically "hey, stop giving credit to person doing this good thing because they did this bad thing" are not helpful if they don't redirect energy to something better. They're just sucking the air out of the room.
I am arguing for critical support (the actual meaning, not the meme version which is unconditional support) rather than disqualification.
I’m saying the problem is that any criticism of Newsom’s transphobia is met with responses ranging from dismissive to hostile. If actual critical support of him existed that would be great, but I see little evidence of that. Politics as fandom means anyone who doesn’t like the favorite of the week is The Enemy, even when the favorite of the week is putting them in the line of fire.