Commercial breaks during Sunday football games have featured ads attacking Vice President Kamala Harris for her support of the transgender community. The ads funded by pro-Donald Trump groups claim Harris supports taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners and use divisive messaging. While a recent study found that these ads did not impact viewers’ voting preferences, they did lead to a decrease in acceptance of the trans community among viewers. The ads have been criticized for spreading harmful misinformation and sowing fear and division. Harris has stated that she supports healthcare, including gender-affirming care, for transgender individuals, including those in prison. President Trump’s administration also provided gender-affirming treatments for some inmates. The lack of a coordinated response to these anti-trans ads from the other side has been noted, with proponents of the trans community calling for a focus on more pressing issues faced by transgender individuals, such as safety, housing, and employment. GLAAD is running a trans storytelling ad campaign to highlight the stories of everyday trans people in response. The 2024 election is expected to be close and may be influenced by the views of young LGBTQ voters, with Trump having a record of anti-LGBTQ actions and Harris supporting LGBTQ rights throughout her career.
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Advocates question impact of anti-trans ad campaign targeting Harris and promoting Trump
