Laverne Cox is no stranger to using her platform to stand up for the trans community. Her recent appearance on The Daily Show exemplifies her willingness to confront the GOP’s ongoing transphobia head-on, especially in the lead-up to the November 5 elections. The Republican Party, as Cox highlighted, has spent over $65 million on ads designed to stoke fear and perpetuate misinformation about transgender people. With a characteristic wit, Cox remarked, “$65 million on anti-trans ads? Do you know how disappointing it is to finally have someone spend $65 million on me, and it’s for this crap?”
These ads, heavily aired during sporting events, center around false claims about gender-affirming care and transgender athletes, and have been part of a larger Republican strategy to whip up fear around trans issues. Cox’s sharp commentary dissected this tactic, noting how it’s rooted in dehumanizing marginalized groups. As she pointed out, when people are no longer seen as fully human, it opens the door to violence and the erosion of rights.
In the same breath, Cox reminded viewers of the real-world consequences. She referenced a report from The Advocate that found hate crimes against trans people have surged in recent years. This violence is often the result of the kind of rhetoric that the GOP is promoting. Cox linked the ads to the growing transphobia that’s leading to both physical violence and alarming rates of suicide within the trans community.
She also tackled some of the more absurd claims head-on, including Donald Trump’s baseless assertion that children are undergoing gender-affirming surgeries in public schools. Cox humorously dismissed the notion, saying, “You think teachers can convince kids to get gender-affirming care? Teachers can’t even get kids to wear deodorant.”
Cox ended her critique by pointing out the irony of the Republican strategy. Despite pouring millions into anti-trans campaigns, the GOP hasn’t seen electoral success from them. In 2022, many anti-LGBTQ+ candidates were rejected by voters, a fact that Cox used to question why the GOP continues to invest in such strategies. Her conclusion? “It’s easier to fearmonger than solve real problems.”
Laverne Cox’s message is clear: the trans community deserves respect and dignity, and attempts to weaponize their identities for political gain must be called out and stopped.