A recent study released by GLAAD estimates that 94% of LGBTQ+ Americans are highly motivated to vote — but that doesn’t mean everyone will vote the same way. LGBTQ+ voters are not single-issue voters, and LGBTQ+ people don’t share the same perspectives on every policy.
Even those who have traditionally registered or voted Democrat don’t see eye-to-eye about how to approach this upcoming election. Some made known their opinions about President Joe Biden — and his continued backing of Israel during the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Palestine — by voting “uncommitted” in the primary election.
Of those who planned to vote for Biden in fall, many were unenthusiastic. The move to place Kamala Harris at the top-of-the-ticket has excited some voters while others cautiously awaited news about her VP pick. Now that she’s named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, here’s how some LGBTQ+ voters are feeling about the campaign:
Excited and on-board
“Obviously Walz is a politician and is going to do things with which I profoundly disagree — but dude sponsored a GSA when there were still some legal bans, approved free menstrual products and food for the children, supervised a heck of a lot of lunch hours, dressed up in purple to honor Prince,” said Carolyn Chernoff, a public scholar and sociologist of culture and inequality. “I’m in.”
Chernoff noted that it seems like Walz is someone who “actually gets stuff done and tells the truth.” She’s relieved that Harris didn’t pick Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — who she thinks was a liability for a number of reasons, which she believes would have slowed the campaign’s momentum.
“I suspect most left and progressive voters and even many active Democrats are so tired and scared,” she said about the alternative of a Trump/Vance administration. “I think many of us are huddled in coalition saying, ‘Just don’t fuck it up.’”
Although she and others are concerned about general patterns of inaction and ineptitude among some Democratic leadership, Chernoff believes Walz could be effective and has a good start as someone who “actively supports people’s bodily autonomy, right to make families of their choosing, right to gender and sexual self-determination, and many other things that are vital for our community and for a decent America of which we could possibly finally be proud.”
“Minnesota has long been a politically progressive place for people of all genders — if not, all races and social classes,” she highlighted. “When I think Minnesota Democrat, I think of a robust, social safety net and progressive policies that put people and their needs and their right to a decent life first.”
Hopeful and intrigued
“The announcement of Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’s running mate adds an intriguing dynamic for those of us in the trans community who have become increasingly disillusioned with mainstream politics,” said Phoebe, a trans woman who is also the mother of a nonbinary child. “Walz, with his progressive track record, particularly on LGBTQ+ rights, could offer a breath of fresh air in a political landscape that has often felt hopeless — especially under the looming threat of Project 2025.”
Phoebe initially felt that Gov. Josh Shapiro would be the best pick — due to his own record as an LGBTQ+ ally and what she called “Obama-esque vibes,” both of which she believes would “terrify” the opponents. She fears that opting not to go with Shapiro means that Pennsylvania will be harder to win which might “make us more vulnerable to the forces that seek to dismantle our rights.”
Harris’s track record “has not always aligned with the deeper, systemic changes many of us crave,” she noted, adding that she hopes choosing Walz isn’t just virtue-signaling.
“The trans community needs more than just symbolic gestures,” she emphasized. “We need leaders who are willing to fight relentlessly for our safety and dignity in a world where we’re constantly targeted.”
Ready for action
“I am excited to see the Democratic party putting up a ticket that has the potential to win the elections,” said Shauna Reichman Lemieux, who works in government.
They were reluctantly planning to vote for the Biden/Harris ticket before the change but are more optimistic about Harris and Walz. Still, they said they’re not putting the candidates on a pedestal.
Although Reichman Lemieux — who is genderfluid and queer — believes adding Walz to the ticket is a “win” for LGBTQ+ rights due his history as an ally, they believe the campaign needs to publish their platform and make tangible promises.
“I think it’s important not only for transparency but so that the public is able to voice their opinions on policy decisions made by the potential administration — and also for accountability,” they explained, adding that they believe the public has the most influence on shaping policies before candidates take office.
Reichman Lemieux would like to see Walz and Harris be more direct in their condemnation of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and announce a plan for expanded federal protections for the queer community. In addition to an LGBTQ+ specific platform, they want to understand their plans for the environment — including policies related to renewable energy, fracking and oil — and Israel, which they’re hoping will look like an arms embargo, promoting a ceasefire and working towards a two-state solution.
They’re also excited about policies related to public transit and infrastructure, since Walz was successful at expanding public transportation in his home state.
“The fear of Trump alone will not win this election,” underlined Reichman Lemieux, who has a bachelor’s degree in political science, noting that candidates should not underestimate the power of the younger generation who have less allegiance to Democratic party machine.
Voting for a third-party candidate
“I just hope people understand that the democrats in charge have just as much power to enact positive change as the Republicans do to enact negative change,” said Brie G., a trans woman who is tired of the “Vote Blue, No Matter Who” rhetoric.
Brie, who is a community-minded person and takes part in mutual aid efforts, underlined that the amount of money candidates raise could instead be used to do good for others — and that the lack of progress they make while in office speaks volumes about their intentions and effectiveness.
“The lack of anything substantial from either Harris or Biden in regards to LGBTQ+ people also does not bode well when she is currently sitting behind the most powerful man in the country and can’t have him codify same sex marriage, abortion rights, raised minimum wages, or anything that will actually help anyone,” she noted.
Brie believes that her vote doesn’t ultimately matter in presidential elections given that the final decision is granted to the electoral college. Still, she’ll seek to learn more about each candidate up and down the ballot and vote according to which platforms align best with her values.
August, a counselor who said they grew up in the projects and continues to work with people living in poverty, is also voting for a third-party candidate who aligns closer with their values. They said conditions have been getting worse for marginalized people and don’t believe there’s a meaningful difference between Democratic and Republican parties in terms of outcomes.
“The VP pick maybe makes me feel 5% safer regarding trans rights, but trying to find more information on Walz led me to stumble upon more reasons to be horrified by Harris,” said August, who underlined that they won’t see eye-to-eye with Harris on issues related to policing or Palestine.
They also noted that anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, mask bans, police violence, environmental missteps, and disregard for disability re: COVID surges have all happened despite Democratic leadership in the White House. This has led August to support Claudia de la Cruz — the nominee representing the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
“De la Cruz has been campaigning on crucial issues since 2020, particularly challenging the horrors of capitalism that are killing us across the board,” they said, noting a particular interest in her plans to cut the military budget and financial support to Israel as well as policies that would restore the environment.
“We’re descending to fascism even on the blue ticket and a VP pick isn’t changing that,” they underlined.
Agreeing with Trump
“The Democratic Party is weaponizing and targeting LGBT and Black communities, creating agendas out of both while neglecting the real issues,” said Sevyn Sky, a Black, trans woman who is an upcoming author.
She’s an undecided voter who might choose the Green Party candidate — but she believes Trump is the “better option” between the current Democratic and Republican tickets.
While she called Trump’s delivery “extremely culturally incompetent,” she appreciates his approaches to foreign policy and border control. Sky disagrees with some of Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric — including conflating LGBTQ+ people with predators, but she agrees with some of his queer-specific policy perspectives — such as banning medical transitions until the age of 18.
“I agree with this as a person who has transitioned and experienced the cruelness of the medical industry and lack of knowledge when it comes to trans bodies,” she said.
However, Trump’s policies go further than restricting minor access to gender-affirming care. Additionally, his Agenda 47 outlines a plan that would terminate all manners of gender-affirming care for all trans patients. He also supports a trans military service ban, hopes to eliminate protections from workplace discrimination for LGBTQ+ people, wants to refuse recognizing queer marriages, plans to remove initiatives that safeguard DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts, and will strike certain language related to diversity from use in White House documents or legislation.
Sky admitted that the Biden administration has been the most “equality-building” in the history of the United States, but she doesn’t believe LGBTQ+ rights are truly safe under either a Republican or Democratic administration.
Focused on community
Steph, who described themself as a queer punk and a leftist, appreciates that Walz has been an ally to LGBTQ+ people. They don’t agree with branding him or Harris as a progressive.
Steph specifically noted that they disagree with Harris’s approach to the border and to Palestine, noting, “People should be allowed to be asylum seekers, and a genocide is never OK.”
They also highlighted that Harris is a former prosecutor, which makes them worried about the campaign’s stances on policing. Steph, who is Black and Latino and said that policing policies personally impact them, didn’t like the way the Biden/Harris administration handled the 2020 protests.
They voted “uncommitted” in the primaries and are leaning towards Harris/Walz now but are still undecided. They underlined that Trump was never an option and are a Democrat because it’s the only way to have a voice within the system.
Steph believes the party’s support of LGBTQ+ people tends to be performative and is only part of platforms to garner more votes and tend to advocate for structures that still mimic the traditional nuclear family rather than learn about the ways queer community tends to exist.
“I’d like to see more of a push for supporting healthcare [with an emphasis on Medicaid] and housing for LGBT people,” they said. “Those are the two most important issues for our community.”
“I live by supplying and benefitting from mutual aid,” they said, underlining that they will continue to care for their community no matter who is elected. “It’s kept me alive.”
“We have to continue keeping ourselves safe,” they emphasized. “I don’t trust the system to ever do that.”
