Lauren Boebert, a Republican Representative from Colorado, has come under fire for her recent comments blaming transgender youth for the rise in mass shootings. During an interview with conservative podcaster Dave Rubin, Boebert claimed that teaching students about societal oppression and gender identity was “radicalizing” them and causing mental illness, leading to the perpetration of mass shootings.
Boebert’s comments echo those of other right-wing figures who have sought to ban LGBTQ+ and racial justice curricula in schools. By placing the blame for mass shootings on queer people and progressive politics, Boebert effectively absolves guns of any responsibility for these tragedies.
While it is true that there is a mental health crisis in the United States, Boebert’s attempt to link it to transgender youth is misguided at best. According to Mental Health America, over 10% of youth and 20% of adults were experiencing a mental illness between 2019 and 2020 – that’s over 51 million people, and about half of them didn’t receive any kind of treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic, the high cost of mental healthcare, and societal stigma associated with mental illness have all contributed to this crisis.
Boebert’s comments are especially dangerous because they perpetuate harmful myths about transgender people. Right-wing figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Fox News host Tucker Carlson have repeatedly claimed that trans people are “grooming” and “sexualizing” kids with “gender ideology” that will confuse and coerce children into gender dysphoria and, eventually, “irreversible” medical procedures that will “mutilate” them for life. These false and stigmatizing claims have led to death threats against trans people, drag performers, LGBTQ+-allied educators, and medical professionals alike.
Boebert’s obsession with guns is also cause for concern. Her campaign ads boasted about her carrying a gun on U.S. Capitol grounds, she once owned a now-defunct open carry firearm-themed restaurant, and she has allowed her own eight-year-old son and his friend to play around loaded rifles in her home, in violation of Colorado state law.
The dangerous rhetoric of Boebert and others like her must be challenged at every turn. LGBTQ+ youth are not responsible for the rise in mass shootings – guns are. By blaming marginalized communities for societal ills, Boebert and her ilk only further the oppression and violence they claim to abhor.