Thank you for your comment. I do not think the media and popular culture are influencing young people to “become” trans, nor do I think young Americans, in particular, are identifying as trans to appear “special” or gain attention. These are two common — and harmful — narratives we currently see regarding transgender identity. These issues are too complex to fully deal with in a comment, and I plan to write an essay speaking to them. So please bear with me.

Additionally, I certainly do not think all Republicans or conservatives are homophobic and/or transphobic. I was speaking to the example of conservative politicians employing this kind of rhetoric to appeal to portions of their constituents/the American public who harbor these sentiments, or to use the LGBTQ community as a scapegoat for larger cultural problems instead of addressing the root cause. Jeff Mateer, Roy Moore, and Mike Pence are recent examples of this. Mateer, for example, described trans youth as “part of Satan’s plan.”

I would like to see Republicans and conservatives who do not share this view of the LGBTQ community speak out more forcefully against their colleagues. This lack of response may contribute to the “unfair labeling” you speak of — in other words, if we do not speak out against injustice, then we are complicit.