I like Talarico and belive he will win. But, I didn't like him dodging

[haele]

104. As a grandparent of a self-identifying demi-boy kid,

And multiple time co-worker of a variety of trans folk, I still don't find singling out and using an already vulnerable and significant minority population as a major wedge issue to attract voters.
We know Trans folk are being othered and demonized through religious identity based hysteria.
But unlike other civil rights group issues, politically keeping a spotlight on them seems to be like keeping a magnifying glass on ants.
Unless someones lives in a large community, their chances of running across or identifying with someone who is gender fluid or transgender is very, very small.
The chances of knowing someone who is gay, bi, or queer in general is much greater, and because gender wrongly identified with sexual characteristics, Transgender ends up being the equivalent of Queer Panto or for childish/deviant con or sex trap in their mind.
Most people are able to accept gay or lesbian, but for some reason, a number of them just can't understand why someone might be transgendered. That confusion makes them uncomfortable, and often leads them to anger.

People vote with their experiences and the emotional responses from those experiences.

I'd much rather publicly point out the actual pedophile pastor or politician and yell "Not a Drag Queen" and drive the point home that neither gender appearance or sanctimonious words mean anything; actions mean everything.

There they go again - Conservatives are telling you to focus on the unicorn that might be in the next town over instead of the large pack of rabid, untrained pit bulls rolling around in their ungated back yard.