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Ocasio-Cortez Defends Transgender Rights at Campus Event, Linking Them to All Americans' Rights
ReOcasio-Cortez Defends Transgender Rights at Campus Event, Linking Them to All Americans' Rights
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told a transgender student at a More Perfect University event that compromising transgender rights compromises everyone's rights, drawing applause as she framed the sports debate as an attack on all women and Title IX.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defended transgender rights at a campus event, telling a transgender student that compromising the rights of transgender people in America amounts to compromising the rights of every citizen. The New York Democrat made the remarks while appearing alongside Maine Senate candidate Troy Jackson at More Perfect University, a progressive campus program launched in April 2026 by the advocacy media nonprofit More Perfect Union.
The exchange began when a student from the University of Southern Maine, who identified as transgender, said they felt abandoned by the Democratic Party and that some liberals treat transgender people as a losing political issue not worth defending. Ocasio-Cortez responded directly: «They're wrong.» She then argued that the moment anyone tries to compromise the rights of a transgender person, the rights of every American are compromised, a statement that drew wide applause in the auditorium.
Ocasio-Cortez went on to address the debate over transgender athletes in women's sports, arguing that conservative focus on the issue is not really about transgender girls. «When they want to focus on trans girls in sports, it's not just about trans girls in sports. It's about girls, all girls,» she said. She claimed that the political right is attacking Title IX, the federal law barring sex discrimination in education, and described it as a protection for gender equality and all women.
She also pushed back on the scale of the issue, saying transgender Americans make up about 1 percent of the population, perhaps less. The student corrected her, raising three fingers to indicate they believe the figure is closer to 3 percent. Ocasio-Cortez said that surveys of Republicans, after exposure to political ads focused on transgender issues, show many believe transgender people make up about 40 percent of the population.
The congresswoman further argued that basic rights should not depend on who a person is or what they do, saying those rights are guaranteed by American citizenship. She framed the conservative emphasis on transgender issues as a costly and energy-intensive political strategy, telling the audience that billions of dollars and enormous resources are being directed at a tiny share of the population.
The event reflects a broader debate within American politics over how Democrats should talk about transgender rights, including participation in women's sports, as some in the party have shifted their messaging. Ocasio-Cortez's remarks align her firmly with those who argue that transgender rights are inseparable from the rights of all citizens, a position that continues to draw sharp opposition from conservatives who say the issue is about fairness and safety in women's athletics.
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