John Oliver recently addressed Kamala Harris’ defeat on Last Week Tonight, taking aim at the growing trend among some progressives to blame transgender rights and so-called “woke” issues for Donald Trump’s victory. According to Oliver, pointing fingers at specific demographics for Democrats’ losses is a serious misstep.
“It’s telling how quickly some are jumping to predetermined conclusions that don’t align with the campaign we all just witnessed,” Oliver remarked. He critiqued claims that Democrats need to shift toward the political center, citing comments from New York Congressman Tom Suozzi. Suozzi recently argued that the party should abandon pandering to the far left and made controversial statements about transgender athletes in sports, echoing sentiments shared by other Democratic lawmakers post-election.
Oliver pushed back, highlighting that Harris’ campaign largely avoided transgender issues, while Republicans poured over $215 million into anti-trans attack ads. “That’s roughly $134 spent on each trans person in the U.S.,” he said. For those advocating a centrist approach, Oliver pointed out, “If what you want is a campaign that’s quiet on trans issues, tough on the border, distances itself from Palestinians, talks about law and order, and courts moderate Republicans—that candidate existed, and she just lost.”
Oliver also underscored the lack of representation at the Democratic National Convention. “Guess how many trans speakers there were at the DNC? I’ll give you a hint: it’s a very round number,” he quipped, forming a zero with his hand.
Instead of retreating from trans issues, Oliver argued that Democrats should have stood firm in their support. He demonstrated how straightforward it could be to counter anti-trans narratives, listing four rebuttals:
- There are very few trans girls competing in high school sports.
- Even if there were more, athletic ability varies, and there’s no evidence they threaten safety or fairness.
- It’s odd and troubling to focus so heavily on this issue.
- If you truly care about the well-being of girls in sports, worry more about predatory behavior, like a creepy assistant volleyball coach obsessively liking their Instagram posts.
Despite the election’s devastating outcome, Oliver noted significant victories worth celebrating. He highlighted the overwhelming support for abortion rights referendums, even in red states, and the groundbreaking success of Sarah McBride in Delaware as the first openly trans member of Congress. Across the country, at least 35 trans and gender-expansive candidates won races in states including Montana, Hawaii, and Kentucky, where Emma Curtis was elected to Lexington’s city council.
“It’s a powerful response to those who claim you don’t exist,” Oliver said. “To stand up and say, ‘I’m literally an elected official.
