The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank that opposes transgender rights.
Background
The Heritage Foundation was founded in 1973 by Paul Weyrich, Edwin Feulner, and Joseph Coors. It was a major influence on the Reagan Administration in the 1980s. Weyrich was succeeded as president by Frank J. Walton, who significantly increased their fundraising efforts.
In 2010, they founded Heritage Action, which expanded their profound influence in conservative American politics.
Heitage Foundation developed Project 2025, the blueprint for the second Trump Administration’s attacks on American democracy in general and trans people in particular.
Anti-transgender activism
The Heritage Foundation has hosted anti-transgender events with “gender critical” extremists.
They have developed legislation templates and spread medical misinformation about trans and gender diverse youth.
2019 “feminist” panel
In January 2019, Heritage Foundation convened a panel titled “The Inequality of the Equality Act: Concerns From the Left.” Panelists included three members of anti-trans group Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), which had previously allied itself with anti0trans group Focus on the Family.
- Ryan T. Anderson (chair)
- “Anonymous organizer” (unaccepting parent – probably Erin Friday)
- Hacsi Horvath (ex-trans activist)
- Jennifer Chavez (WoLF)
- Kara Dansky (WoLF)
- Julia Beck (WoLF)
References
Barrón-López, Laura; Popat, Shrai (March 27, 2024). How a second Trump presidency could impact the LGBTQ+ community. PBS NewsHour https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-a-second-trump-presidency-could-impact-the-lgbtq-community [archive]
Migdon, Brooke (June 14, 2022). ‘Absurd:’ LGBTQ+ advocates, medical professionals respond to conservative study linking gender-affirming care to greater risk of youth suicide. The Hill https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3523225-absurd-lgbtq-advocates-medical-professionals-respond-to-conservative-study-linking-gender-affirming-care-to-greater-risk-of-youth-suicide/
Editors (April 12, 2021). Outlawing Trans Youth: State Legislatures and the Battle over Gender-Affirming Healthcare for Minors. 134 Harvard Law Review 2163 https://harvardlawreview.org/2021/04/outlawing-trans-youth-state-legislatures-and-the-battle-over-gender-affirming-healthcare-for-minors/
Holt, Lauren (March 29, 2021). Transgender rights in the spotlight as Arkansas and Tennessee become latest states to pass anti-trans legislation. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/28/us/transgender-rights-arkansas-tennessee-anti-trans-laws/index.html
Avery, Dan (February 17, 2021). State anti-transgender bills represent coordinated attack, advocates say. NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/state-anti-transgender-bills-represent-coordinated-attack-advocates-say-n1258124
Bauer, Sydney (February 11, 2020). The New Anti-Trans Culture War Hiding in Plain Sight. The New Republic https://newrepublic.com/article/156539/new-anti-trans-culture-war-hiding-plain-sight
Fitzsimons, Tim (January 29, 2019). Conservative group hosts anti-transgender panel of feminists ‘from the left’. NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/conservative-group-hosts-anti-transgender-panel-feminists-left-n964246
Media
The Heritage Foundation (January 28, 2019). The Inequality of the Equality Act: Concerns from the Left. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMj9MOuRswc
Resources
GLAAD Accountability Project (glaad.org/gap)
- The Heritage Foundation
- glaad.org/gap/heritage-foundation
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
The Heritage Foundation (heritage.org)
Twitter (twitter.com)
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YouTube (youtube.com)