In a 920-page blueprint outlining electoral strategies for the 2024 presidential election, a Republican think tank has proposed a series of measures that could have severe repercussions for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans individuals. Known as ‘Project 2025,’ this initiative, crafted by The Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank, has raised eyebrows with its far-right rhetoric that seeks to redefine trans people’s existence as “pornography.”
Unraveling Project 2025
The Heritage Foundation, which has deep roots in conservative politics dating back to the Nixon presidency, describes ‘Project 2025’ as an opportunity to solidify conservative values within the GOP. Among the most concerning aspects of this blueprint is the potential to strip away discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, a move that could have profound implications for their rights.
Media Matters journalist Ari Drennen highlighted a particularly disturbing aspect of the blueprint in a recent tweet, noting that it envisions declaring trans-related content as pornography, resulting in imprisonment for its creators, inclusion of discussing it in teachers’ sex offender registries, and the forced closure of companies hosting such content.
Conflation and Conspiracies
While the blueprint does not explicitly target trans pornography, it conflates the “propagation of transgender ideology” with pornography. This tactic is not new to the Republican playbook and forms the basis of conspiratorial slurs such as “groomer” or “paedophile.” In fact, GOP-led legislatures have used this conflation to ban family-friendly drag performances in several states across the U.S., with at least seven of these bills successfully passing.
However, ‘Project 2025’ doesn’t solely focus on LGBTQ+ rights; it also includes anti-immigration policies and anti-abortion measures under the banner of “defending our nation’s sovereignty.” The project’s director, Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official, has described the handbook as a “clarion call” for conservatives, urging them to actively participate in advancing these policies.
Fantasizing about Authority
While ‘Project 2025’ presents an alarming threat to LGBTQ+ rights, some experts argue that the feasibility of enacting many of these policies remains in question. Philip Wallach, a senior member of the American Enterprise Institute, cautions that certain aspects of the blueprint border on “authoritarian fantasies” where the president’s authority to implement such policies may be overstated.
As the 2024 election approaches, the unveiling of ‘Project 2025’ underscores the potential ramifications for LGBTQ+ rights, leaving many within the community and beyond concerned about the future landscape of equality and inclusion.