Episode 101: Anti-Trans Politics (interview with Ettingermentum)

The co-hosts and Gabriel Donnelly welcome Ettingermentum, a pseudonymous writer on politics and history who publishes the Ettingermentum Newsletter, to discuss his piece on “The Modern Electoral History of Transphobia.” He discusses the origins and evolution of anti-trans politics on the right, and he argues that election results throughout the US make clear that such politics is not popular. He and the interviewers discuss why the right is doubling down on its transphobic agenda despite its unpopularity. They also discuss whether its unpopularity implies that trans rights are politically popular, why soft-on-Trump “leftists” like Jimmy Dore play footie with transphobia, and—since opposition to trans rights is hardly a matter of “economic anxiety”—how can we explain why Trump’s base embraces transphobic politics. (A YouTube video containing clips from Jimmy Dore is cited during the segment.)

Plus current-events segment: Gag Gift?—As his legal problems mount, so do Trump’s threats and incitement. Will the courts gift us the needed gag orders? (A YouTube video of Rudolph “America’s Mayor” Giuliani’s visit to a bail bondsman is cited during the segment.)

Radio Free Humanity is a podcast covering news, politics and philosophy from a Marxist-Humanist perspective. It is co-hosted by Brendan Cooney and Andrew Kliman. We intend to release new episodes every two weeks. Radio Free Humanity is sponsored by MHI, but the views expressed by the co-hosts and guests of Radio Free Humanity are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the views and positions of MHI.

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