1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

I am writing to you today with deep concern about the increasing calls for a so-called “middle ground” on the rights of transgender Americans. Let me be clear: there is no middle ground when it comes to equality. Civil rights cannot be negotiated away for short-term political expediency. We need only look across the Atlantic to see the consequences of this supposed "compromise". In the United Kingdom, the Labour Party once stood firmly in support of transgender people. But when party leaders began walking back that commitment—echoing far-right rhetoric, appointing anti-trans officials, and blocking trans members from party leadership elections—the results were devastating. Labour, despite winning historic victories just a year before, is now suffering record lows in approval ratings. Trans voters and their allies have abandoned the party, and Labour has lost credibility with the very people who once relied on them to uphold human rights. This should serve as a warning for Democrats here in the United States. Capitulating to those who spread fear and misinformation about transgender people will not win back voters lost to the right. It will only demoralize your base, fracture the coalition that makes victory possible, and betray the very principles of justice and equality that our party is supposed to stand for. Transgender Americans are not bargaining chips. They are our neighbors, our family members, our colleagues, and our friends. They face disproportionate rates of violence, poverty, and discrimination, and they deserve leaders who will stand with them; without hesitation, and without compromise. I urge you to learn from Labour’s mistakes: defending equality is not only morally right, it is politically necessary. If Democrats wish to maintain the trust of their voters and build a just future, they must unequivocally reject any efforts to restrict or roll back the rights of transgender people. There is no middle ground on equality. Please, stand on the right side of history.