Like most Americans, I suspect, I do not view LGBTQ people as being “normal,” but I have no wish to oppress them, either. The leadership of the GOP does not agree with me. The recent wave of anti-LGBTQ statutes in red state legislatures is proof of that.
Part of the motivation behind these new laws is a desire to appease the reactionary base with red meat. But what is the greater objective? Given that being LGBTQ is rarely, if ever, a matter of choice, what is the right actually trying to accomplish here?
In the case of gays and lesbians, I think the idea is to force them back into the closet. That way, real Americans won’t have to be offended by their appearance and behavior, and the alleged danger of “contagion” will be minimized. If you accept the legitimacy of the objective, this makes sense. But what about trans people? How can you put a trans person back in the closet?
You can’t. Furthermore, the handful of trans people in this country don’t represent a threat to anyone but themselves. There is no evidence to prove otherwise. The new legislation is oppression for its own sake.