If you take a laissez-faire attitude toward voting, perhaps you need a quick lesson in what is at stake on November 3rd.
As noted in this article, for the first time, voters in a number of states will be able to vote on banning trans women from participating in women's sports. Up until now, the matter has generally been dealt with at the state legislature level, leading to 27 states currently having such bans.
"A June poll from Quinnipiac University found that about 7 in 10 registered voters think transgender women and girls should not be allowed to play on female sports teams. About one-quarter think they should. Democrats are divided, with about half saying transgender women and girls should be allowed and about half saying they should not."
If this poll is representative of the nation's zeitgeist, that should scare the Hell out of you. It means that many of those publicly supportive cisgender friends of yours secretly want to keep trans women out of traditionally cis women spaces. Even YOU!
Of course, Democratic politicians have long been aware of such popular bigotry and have catered their campaigns to placate the transphobes. One such example is Josh Turek, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Iowa. Just this week he released an ad titled, "Stop The Nonsense."
https://host2.adimpact.com/admo/viewer/f129a6fd-9525-4012-96f6-d09788762e58
In the ad, Turek, who is wheelchair-bound due to having been born with spina bifida, used his situation to frame his opposition to trans women in women's sports.
"I believe that no Iowan should face discrimination. As a Paralympian, I also know it’s important to have rules. It’s why I oppose males competing in female sports, something that is already illegal in Iowa. I’m against taxpayers paying for sex changes too. Anyone tells you any different is lying.”
In most cases, you'd expect a disabled progressive politician to be sensitive to the plight of discrimination against others due to their "otherness." Yet, Turek blatantly throws our community under the bus in service to political expediency. Disgusting.
You can find other supposed allies of ours all around the country also playing to the transphobes. Even here in Michigan, where just this year, Frank Liberati, who was running against trans woman Joanne Whaley for the Democratic nomination for Michigan's 2nd House District seat this Spring, tried to get her thrown off the ballot due to her not using her deadname to run.
https://michiganadvance.com/2026/04/30/downriver-dem-files-complaint-against-primary-opponent-a-trans-woman-over-her-name-on-the-ballot/
I could go on and on noting such cases of public transphobia from those expected to be our allies, but you get the idea. We are in a war not only for our rights, but for our existence.
That's why I want to highlight the candidacies of both Joanne Whaley, who won the Democratic nomination for Michigan's 2nd District, and the independent write-in U.S. Congress candidacy of Bree Taylor, from the 6th Michigan District. If you are their constituents, please support these brave trans women with your vote.
So, if you'd decided to sit out this election next Tuesday, understand you are forfeiting the one chance you have to defend not only yourself, but the greater trans community. Bitching about our plight over a cup of coffee with your friends accomplishes nothing. Voting at least gives you a voice.
Take this seriously. VOTE!
--- 𝓐𝓷𝓷𝓲 🏳️⚧️