Transphobic and homophobic propaganda has long been a staple of American cultural discourse. There was a marked turning point in the mid-2010s when large, organized, and well-funded disinformation campaigns started to take shape. These organized efforts occurred in conjunction with significant advances in marriage equality across the globe. In return, an avalanche of misinformation flooded in, attempting to erase the rights and lives of transgender people.
Even though trans individuals make up a small minority—around 1% of the global population—the direct effect of these campaigns is deeply felt. Most people do not have personal relationships with trans people, and this leaves a vacuum for false information to spread unabated without being called out. Unfortunately, political agendas have only deepened this heavy hand. More alarmingly, U.S. President Donald Trump’s Project 2025 is drawing support from a lot of the same prophets of anti-trans propaganda.
The Rise of Organized Disinformation
Transforming anti-trans attitudes into political capital has deep roots. Today, coordinated disinformation campaigns are stoking the furor, intensifying the global struggle for LGBTQ equality. These campaigns began popping up around the mid-2010s. These were no organic movements—these were strategically funded, well thought out campaigns specifically meant to sway public opinion in reactionary response to progressive marriage equality legislation.
From parental rights to children’s safety, as these campaigns spread, they used strategies intended to cut through nuance that complicated matters of gender identity and expression. Audiences generally seek bright lines, especially when faced with the deluge of data they’re sure to encounter. As a result, misinformation that offers an easy answer with a black-and-white story might seem more attractive than complex explanations.
“We can see this very clearly in the case of anti-trans disinformation.”
This has provided a ripe environment for initiatives that purposefully misinform the public about trans rights. The result of this is that misinformation is often left unchallenged, in part because trans people are still largely unknown or misunderstood in society.
The Role of Political Agendas
While Project 2025 may be one of the most extreme political agendas, it fits the mold of dangerous rightwing anti-trans narratives. Funded by deep-pocketed, extremist influencers on the right, it aims to codify harmful policies that mirror rhetoric found in anti-trans propaganda. The project is designed to push perspectives that an anti-scientific and anti-expert agenda takes on issues surrounding gender dysphoria and its treatment.
As such, leading medical and mental health experts passionately promote social acceptance and affirmation as the most effective treatments for gender dysphoria. In addition, they support supplemental medical interventions as appropriate, including hormones and surgery. As early as 2011, studies have shown the importance of this positive, forward-looking stance. Now, it risks being gamed and manipulated by disinformation opponents in growing numbers.
“Knowingly false information designed to deliberately mislead and influence public opinion or obscure the truth for malicious or deceptive purposes.” – Australian Electoral Commission
In doing so, Project 2025 bends or breaks best practices with strategies that gerrymander the truth to bend public opinion toward political goals. This has the effect of disproportionately hurting marginalized communities, including trans people.
The Mechanisms of Misinformation
Misinformation is not the benign byproduct of a public discourse gone awry. It’s not an accidental side effect — it’s a calculated strategy to influence public perception of trans and LGBTQ communities. The one main ingredient in amplifying this kind of misinformation is repeated over and over again. With each time you hear the same idea, it begins to register and take root. This comfort level lulls people into thinking that the familiar idea has merit.
Moreover, large platforms amplify these messages exponentially, making it difficult for counter-narratives to gain traction. Without direct experience with trans folks, many people are more susceptible to accepting these warped portrayals at face value.
The allure of simplicity is at work here, too. During periods of ambiguity or when confronted with a deluge of information, people tend to fall back on these mental shortcuts to help them navigate a new landscape. This inclination can lead to the premature adoption of attractive but shallow narratives that confirm prior bias instead of challenging us with the complexities of real life.
“My hope is that more and more people will become aware of how these disinformation campaigns work—not just on anti-trans topics but in other areas as well—because the techniques are similar regardless of the domain.”
By understanding these trends, we can all take proactive steps to stop the spread of dangerous misinformation. This can only create a more thoughtful discourse around trans equality.