The Contradictory Nature of Anti-Transgender Rhetoric

Abstract

Transgender rights are a polarizing topic. When examining the rhetoric used by those opposed to transgender rights, it often seems like their arguments contradict each other (e.g., claiming that transgender people are a negligible minority but simultaneously “taking over”). One explanation for this contradiction could be that different arguments are endorsed by different people. However, across 4 studies (N = 2,159), we consistently find a positive relationship between endorsement of contradictory anti-transgenderarguments among the same people, even when they themselves view them as contradictory and when the contradictory nature is made salient. We also examine the strategies opponents of transgender rights employ to resolve these contradictions. Our work contributes to a better understanding of modern anti-transgender beliefs in the United States and has implications for those trying to combat harmful anti-transgender rhetoric.