Transgender issues played a significant role in messaging this election, particularly from Republicans. It was seen both at the presidential level and in opposition to New York’s Proposition 1, and now has worked its way into post-election conversation among Democrats.

Elisa Crespo, executive director of the New Pride Agenda, told Spectrum News 1 memories of Donald Trump’s first term in office have members of her community bracing for what’s to come as they absorb the election’s aftermath – and a largely unwanted spotlight.

“He removed trans people from participating in the U.S. military, attempted to prevent us from receiving care from federally funded health care facilities,” she said. “Prevented access to shelters that are federally funded.”

Despite those policy decisions, Republican strategist Chapin Fay, founder of Lighthouse Public Affairs, argued that Republicans aren’t out to legislate the choices of transgender adults.

"No one is actually saying on the right that we don't think they should exist or have the same rights as everyone else," he said "When you talk about children and families, that's where I think the overreach came." 

He said Republicans simply coalesced around concerns about gender-affirming care for minors and participation in school sports.

“That, of course, elevates it to third-rail status, and I think that’s what you saw over the past couple of years leading up to Election Day,” he said.

He pointed out Republicans leaned on that argument heavily in their objection to New York’s Proposition 1, which adds an extra layer of protection to rights protected by statute, including sexual orientation and gender identity.

Crespo countered that voters in their support of the amendment were unconvinced it was anything other than a backstop to prevent certain existing rights from eroding at the whim of power shifts in Albany.

“Voters overwhelmingly rejected that misinformation,” she said. "They voted for freedom and democracy, the cornerstones of New York." 

In recent days, some Democrats have sought to blame the party’s misfortunes on too much discussion of social justice concerns like transgender rights and policing issues. Comments from Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Massachusetts) and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-New York) have added fuel to the discussion. 

Democratic Strategist Jack O’Donnell says it’s not that simple.

“I think it is less ‘this is what Democrats wanted to run on,’ and more ‘this is how Republicans were able to paint Democrats,’” he said.

He said that while Democrats “stand for people no matter who they are, what they are, or who they love,” they left themselves vulnerable to effective attacks on their social stances because they didn’t sell voters on their policy agenda.

“If you don’t have real policy ideas that people feel are going to change their lives and more importantly, if you’ve had four years in power and people don’t feel better because of it, you’re going to pay that price,” he said.

Crespo expressed a similar sentiment.

“There are much larger, deeper issues in America that perhaps we weren’t paying attention to,” she said. “I know people are pointing fingers and playing the blame game right now, but trans people are not to blame for the outcome of this election.”