Gretchen Whitmer to Democrats questioning their support for trans rights: ‘I’ve never wavered’

As some Democrats debate whether defending transgender people carries a political cost, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is pointing to her record. She has won repeatedly while making LGBTQ+ protections part of her agenda.“Michigan is a very swing state, and I’ve never wavered on these issues, and politically, I’ve been successful,” Whitmer told The Advocate in an exclusive interview Saturday, hours before she was scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Human Rights Campaign’s National Dinner in Washington, D.C.Her answer comes amid a debate over how Democrats should talk about transgender people. As The Advocate has reported, centrist group Third Way advised candidates to avoid terms including “LGBTQIA+” and “cisgender.” A July paper from the Center for American Progress said schools and sports governing bodies, rather than politicians, should set transgender athletes’ eligibility rules and that restrictions “may be appropriate under some circumstances.” CAP said it opposed blanket bans. Advocates criticized the framework for potentially legitimizing exclusionary policies and letting a right-driven debate overshadow broader civil rights protections.Asked about calls from some political consultants for Democrats to distance themselves from transgender rights, Whitmer said she saw no political advantage in changing the conversation. “I think we should just be honest,” she said. “This is about fundamental freedoms. This is about dignity for people, no matter who you love or how you identify.”Related: Michigan bans 'gay and trans panic' defense as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs historic bill (exclusive)HRC expects hundreds of advocates and supporters at the Washington Hilton for an evening honoring LGBTQ+ figures and raising money for its work, weeks ahead of the midterm elections.Whitmer said politicians who target LGBTQ+ people for political gain are “willing to hurt a community to score political points.” Allies, she said, shou