I have to admit I don't understand the DEI, transgender, and sexual orientation uproar emanating from the Republicans.

[usaf-vet]

Notable Stories of LGBTQ+ Heroism

Technical Sergeant Leonard Matlovich (USAF)

Vietnam War Veteran, recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
In 1975, Matlovich outed himself to challenge the ban on gay service members — becoming the first openly gay service member to appear on the cover of Time magazine.
His bravery in war was never questioned — but his career ended because of who he was. His case became a landmark moment in the fight for gay rights in the military.

Staff Sergeant Eric Alva (USMC)

First U.S. service member wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lost his right leg after stepping on a landmine in 2003.
Alva came out as gay after his retirement and became a leading voice advocating for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
His heroism on the battlefield stood as undeniable proof that sexual orientation had no bearing on courage.

Kristin Beck (US Navy SEAL)

Served for 20 years, including 13 deployments — member of SEAL Team 6.
Awarded a Bronze Star with valor, Purple Heart, and numerous other commendations.
Came out as transgender after retirement — her story directly challenged stereotypes about transgender service members and combat performance.
Beck’s combat record and bravery were praised by her peers, who had no idea about her gender identity during her service.

As former military medic I doubt that anyone who

YELLED MEDIC!

question the sexual orientation of the medic who ran to their aid!

[Gore1FL]

1. It's othering. It enables scape-goating and division.

That's the purpose it serves for them.

[SheltieLover]

10. Great way to control those prone to histrionics

[BOSSHOG]

2. Conservatives wake up every morning

Looking for something or someone to hate.

[magicarpet]

4. Hot button social issues they can exploit to their hearts content.

Making the Libs look bad for chicken shit reasons.

[usonian]

3. It's all cover for kleptocracy and a ruse to get average folks to support oligarchy against their own best interests.

They eat it up and lose.

FAFO

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219770873

[Basso8vb]

5. Because they are nazis.

[yardwork]

6. It's a bunch of different things...

I agree with the responses in this thread so far. But it's more.

Fundamentally, the American myth that drives Republican thinking is centered on the idea that rugged individualists (white men and their wives, horses and dogs) were given this land by God to develop into a shining beacon. This myth requires believers to reframe our actual history into a "white men are superior" story.

This myth is based on biblical ideas of patriarchy. White men are in charge (mirroring God being in charge), and white women are the men's helpers, and non-white people need to be subjugated and controlled. This myth drives our laws and customs.

This myth falls apart when people face the idea that two women could be in love, married, and running their own lives. It falls apart if the very idea of male vs female is called into question.

Anything other than the supposedly biblical model of white man plus white wife plus children and pets being in charge has to be stamped out. Otherwise, the whole myth falls apart and that's too uncomfortable for some folks, apparently.

[SheltieLover]

12. Their religion definately teaches this & is the biggest part of the problem

[yardwork]

19. Yes, and it's outside churches, too.

This myth underlies all the Western movies and TV shows - and all the movies and TV shows that are based on that Western motif, even if they're set in Baltimore or New Jersey. It's in every truck ad. It's the Marlboro man.

It's what underlies segregation. It's what underlies American exceptionalism.

We are all steeped in it. It surrounds us.

It's why the backlash against DEI is so hysterical.

[SheltieLover]

21. Yes, it is sickening, isn't it?

And we are all steeped in it.

[yardwork]

22. It's bad for all of us.

It's bad for white men, white women, and, obviously, everybody else.

It's a terrible myth that does not serve us well. It's where the fear of "communism" comes from. Basically, everybody is supposed to go it alone and succeed on their own. The problem is that nobody has ever done that successfully.

The myth is a lie.

Humans are social creatures and when we pretend that we don't need one another, we fail.

[Clouds Passing]

25. Excellent post yardwork. Could stand as it's own OP.

[yardwork]

28. Thank you!

[GoreWon2000]

7. It's about maintaining the unqualified white, anglo male power base

that's controlled our country since before it was a country. They want everything for themselves and to leave the majority of the population out

[SheltieLover]

8. WTF is with their weirdo bathroom obsession?

I suppose it gives their enlarged, hyperactive amygdalas something to rant about. Bunch of histrionic bs imo.

But it does serve to keep their base stirred up with their paranoid "in-group" and "out-group" nonsense.

[Lovie777]

9. GQP have to hate someone and/or something constantly..................

GQP always have to blame someone and/or something constantly.

GQP rarely apologizes, but instead besides blaming, the GQP loves to create false stories.

GQP, hardly tells the truth, they lie, lie, lie.

GQP don't really care about their fellow human beings, nor mankind, nor the earth nor mother nature.

GQP are greedy and power hungry and feel that gawd favors them, only.

Christians they are not, and the GQP are extremely violent and are a bunch of bullies.

[The Grand Illuminist]

29. It is the language they can only understand.

And possibly the only way to communicate back is to resort. There is no other options on civility. They've all been tried.

[FalloutShelter]

11. All for me and none for thee.

I have agency over my body but you do not unless I give it to you.

As the Resident Alien would say:
This is some BULLSHIT.

[stillcool]

13. I think it's a control thing on

one-hand, and an ego thing on the other. I read about the origins of PTSD, but only from WW1 forward. The way governments treated people was to say it didn't exist, and use feminine words...like hysterical, or sissy...whatever to keep soldiers in line, and maintain the number of troops on any given battlefield. Then they came home, and the shit hit the fan, because that kind of trauma is revealed with distance from the events. The degrading and belittling did not stop which affected the roles men and woman play in society. The degradation of men for feeling, and the need for woman to step up and care for their families, while also being degraded for being too masculine, and how that played on the family dynamic. The enemy is also a constant refrain, enabling war on behalf of whatever industry is in need or something belonging to another geographic location. This country has not had a generation unaffected by war in several generations and the corporate behemoths that have grown out of that same time period have made it so much harder to earn a living wage or just buy and sell what people need to survive. The ego takes hit after hit, and that makes for an effed up society

[yardwork]

20. That's a very interesting point.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Most of the GOP don't care about DEI issues.

It is about control, power, cruelty.
Just like the abortion issue.

[cyclonefence]

15. Unless you're looking for a date

I don't understand why anyone else's sexual *anything* should be of concern to you or to anyone else.

[LoisB]

16. I don't understand it either. People need to think in terms of "who are you, not what are you".

[Gimble]

17. I think porn is at least

partly responsible for their freak-out on LGBTQ+ and DEI. I think it has been well established that the MAGA crowd are consumers of porn. Porn these days is saturated with BBC and BNWO videos in which submissive gay (or trans) white guys are willingly dominated by BBC, or in which the white wife of a white guy has mind-blowing intercourse with a BBC. What do you think goes through the minds of Mike Johnson and others like him when they are bombarded with these types of videos on their favorite porn sites. I'll bet it drives them absolutely bonkers.

[no_hypocrisy]

18. It's re-asserting White Privilege.

[sakabatou]

23. It's part of a wedge issue tactic. They've used it again and again against different targets

[Skittles]

24. ESPECIALLY when they are pimping for CADET BONESPURS

[sdfernando]

26. I have a theory

All of this stems from the orange one….who, once long ago, had an encounter with a very attractive woman. One he found exceedingly beautiful…only to find out, in the bedroom, this a woman he found so attractive was trans. Oh the horror!!!! His little pea brain (among “other” things) couldn’t handle that he could such person sexually attractive! His psyche was broken! And to add to his horror, this trans woman likely had a much larger member than his own…..tell me I’m wrong!

[Norrrm]

27. It's misdirection.

Why are right wingers and the religious right so dead set against gays, trans, and others?

Republican Sexual Predators, Abusers, distraction and Enablers Pt. 52

https://www.dailykos.com/blogs/CajsaLilliehook