1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I'm calling on you to publicly condemn Frank Liberati's attempt to disqualify Joanna Whaley from Michigan's District 2 Democratic primary ballot. His complaint demanding she use her deadname is a blatant act of transphobia weaponized as an electoral tactic, and it has no place in our party. Liberati's complaint is legally baseless. Whaley has used the name Joanna for over five years, which qualifies as a common law name change under Michigan law according to the ACLU of Michigan. She has legally changed her name through the courts, with records sealed for her safety. This is nothing more than harassment designed to intimidate a trans candidate out of the race. The Michigan Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus has already denounced this attack. Whaley entered this race because Liberati's own brother voted to ban trans girls from sports teams in March 2025. She's running on real issues like single-payer healthcare and reducing utility costs for Michigan families. Democrats should be defending candidates who stand up for their communities, not tolerating those who try to eliminate them through discriminatory complaints. Make it clear that transphobic tactics will not be tolerated in Michigan Democratic primaries. Stand with Joanna Whaley.