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“Queer people, trans people, people of color are waking up today feeling in danger,” U.S. Rep. Becca Balint said. “We need to have a full-throated declaration that we are going to be there with them.”
The 2024 election was a tough pill to swallow for Democrats, especially LGBTQ+ Americans. With former President Donald Trump back in the White House as of January 20, 2025, four years after he staged an insurrection against the U.S. government, the road ahead looks daunting. Yet, amid the dark days ahead, Democratic leaders are holding firm on their commitment to equality. In an election cycle that saw an increase in anti-trans attacks and increased LGBTQ+ representation, figures like gay New York U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres and lesbian Vermont U.S. Rep. Becca Balint are making it clear: the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, especially trans rights, is far from over.
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Fresh off his re-election, Torres offered a sobering take on why Democrats lost. “We lost primarily for reasons that had more to do with structural realities than individual personnel,” he told The Advocate. He cited inflation and immigration as major drivers behind public sentiment—issues that overshadowed social priorities like LGBTQ+ rights. But Torres was adamant that Democrats won’t be backing down on trans rights. “We have to remain committed to protecting the civil rights of all people, including the trans community,” he said.
On the subject of trans athletes, Torres acknowledged the reality of the GOP’s aggressive stance, noting that “Republicans have effectively weaponized the issue of trans [people participating in] sports against the Democratic Party.” Despite this, Torres maintained that abandoning support for trans rights is not an option. He acknowledged the need for Democrats to “figure out how to navigate the issue effectively” but emphasized that, for his party, trans rights are non-negotiable.
For Balint, who successfully defended her Vermont seat, abandoning support for the trans community isn’t even up for debate. “No, we’re not going to abandon our support of all Americans, including our trans friends and neighbors and family members. Absolutely not,” she told The Advocate. Balint stressed that Democrats must go beyond defensive stances by putting forth a proactive message that everyone deserves “dignity and respect.” While she acknowledged that the GOP had skillfully weaponized trans issues, especially around sports, she believes Democrats must double down on connecting with voters personally to counter Republican fearmongering.
The broader post-election analysis offers Democrats a deeper look at the role of trans issues in this election. According to a post-election survey by the Human Rights Campaign and GQR, while anti-trans rhetoric appeared widely in campaign ads, it was not a primary factor for most voters. Sixty-four percent of voters recalled seeing ads criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for her stance on taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries and trans athletes, yet only 4 percent listed transgender issues as a driving force in their vote. Immigration, the economy, and general discontent with the current administration ranked far higher as decisive issues, the survey found.
Amid all the challenges on the horizon, Torres and Balint are finding hope in some of the election’s most significant wins for LGBTQ+ representation. Equality PAC-backed candidates like Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride and Texas state Rep. Julie Johnson made history, with McBride set to become the first out transgender member of Congress and Johnson representing the first LGBTQ+ voice from the South. Torres called these gains “a silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud of a second Trump presidency.” Reflecting on the challenges the LGBTQ+ community will face, he noted, “It is cause for celebration that we’re going to have the first trans member of Congress in Sarah McBride, and the first LGBTQ member from the South in Julie Johnson.” Torres and Balint agree that McBride’s voice will be indispensable as Republicans turn their focus toward policies targeting the trans community.
“At a time when Trump is likely to wage a vicious and relentless campaign of scapegoating and fearmongering against the trans community, the voice of Sarah McBride will take on a new urgency,” Torres said. “She’s going to be a powerful force against the bigotry that Donald Trump will represent.”
Balint, who called the campaign “one of the most racist, sexist, transphobic, darkest” in modern history, highlighted the devastating role of disinformation in stoking some potential animosity toward LGBTQ+ people. She urged allies to stand up more boldly for LGBTQ+ Americans. “It can’t be enough to stay in a place of kindness and tolerance,” she said. “Queer people, trans people, people of color are waking up today feeling in danger,” she said. “We need to have a full-throated declaration that we are going to be there with them.”
Despite the roadblocks ahead, Torres remains hopeful, insisting that “the struggle for equality is not a sprint; it’s a marathon.”
