Associated Press: Criticism mounts against Indiana transgender athlete ban
Indiana GOP’s connections with Alliance Defending Freedom follows Oath Keeper Scott Baldwin calling for educators to impartially teach Nazism to students – continues 2022 culture war session
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today called on Rodric Bray (Indiana Senate President Pro Tem) and Jeff Raatz (State Senator – District 27) to remove House Bill 1041 from the Indiana Senate calendar following reports showing a clear coordination between the Indiana House GOP and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) – a national hate group – with legislation that would bully and marginalize innocent minors. In fact, Indiana is a part of a national culture war strategy where anti-LGBTQ activists like Idaho State Rep. Barbara Ehardt parachute into states pushing this divisive policy.
The Southern Poverty Law Center designated the ADF as a national hate group for a longstanding effort against LGBTQ Americans that includes opposition to marriage equality and workplace rights and even supporting the effort to criminalize people for being LGBTQ altogether.
“The moment Michelle Davis admitted there were no legitimate cases involving unfair advantages on the playing field, it became obvious House Bill 1041 was a culture war being pushed by a national hate group and the Indiana Republican Party,” said Drew Anderson, spokesman for the Indiana Democratic Party. “The 2022 legislative session will be remembered as the time when Republicans advocated for Nazism to be taught impartially and for our kids to get bullied out of the sports they play. The Indiana GOP is now the Culture War Party, and they’re dividing communities across the state.”
Indiana Republicans have come out as the Culture War Party during the 2022 legislation session. From Oath Keeper Scott Baldwin calling for educators to impartially teach Nazism in classrooms to the INGOP shoving through legislation to restrict voting rights, discrediting the COVID-19 vaccine, and bullying innocent minors – these culture wars are an election-year ploy to win votes. They are putting their divisive partisanship ahead of Indiana’s future.
Here’s a look at how Hoosiers learned about the Indiana GOP’s ties with a national hate group:
Associated Press: “Critics additionally called out Republican lawmakers for partnering on the bill with the Alliance Defending Freedom, referred to as ‘a national hate group’…
The nonprofit legal organization that supports conservative Christian causes has provided legal counsel for various efforts to curtail LGBTQ rights and has successfully lobbied for anti-transgender legislation — including bans on transgender athletes — in other states.” […]
“Former Indiana Republican Rep. Christy Stutzman proposed similar legislation in 2020, although the bill did not advance from the House education committee.”
WIBC: “The LGBT rights group Human Rights Campaign blasts the bill as a “cookie cutter” of bills passed in eight states last year, and accuses backers of pursuing a national “culture war” agenda.”
“IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig told a House committee last month there’s been a single instance of a transgender athlete asking to play girls’ sports in Indiana, and that case was resolved by the school district.”
Indiana Public Media: LGBTQ advocates condemn bill to ban trans girl student athletes, national group supporting it
“…They pointed to the bill’s support from the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian advocacy organization classified as a national hate group for its efforts targeting the LGBTQ community. The group has been involved with passing similar bills – and litigation around them – in states like Idaho and Montana.
Pejril said ADF is targeting transgender youth because it hasn’t prevented the advancement of other LGBTQ rights.” […]
“Ford said as a member of the Senate’s education committee, he plans to ask pointed questions of his colleagues who support the bill and anyone from ADF who may speak on the legislation.”
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