Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton’s recent comments about transgender athletes were disappointing, unnecessary and harmful. At a moment when trans Ohioans are facing escalating legislative attacks, what they need from leaders is clarity, protection and solidarity − not language that reinforces doubt or distances them from the political party that claims to champion inclusion.
The Democratic Party should be the political home for the most vulnerable people, not a place where their dignity becomes a bargaining chip for consultants who are more focused on influence than on doing what is right. When candidates soften their commitment to marginalized communities because someone in a strategy meeting warns them about “optics,” it signals that those communities are expendable. That is not leadership. It is fear dressed up as pragmatism.
Trans people deserve better from anyone seeking the governorship. They deserve a candidate who understands that their safety is not a political liability but a moral obligation. If Amy Acton wants to lead this state, she must correct course − publicly, clearly and without hesitation. That means acknowledging the harm her comments caused, apologizing and committing to protecting trans people with the full weight of her platform.
Until that happens, my vote is not available this November.
Tyler Haynes, Anderson Township
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Amy Acton must do better by transgender Ohioans | Opinion
Reporting by Letters to the editor, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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By Letters to the editor, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
