Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, we asked Metro Weekly readers what feels most at stake, which issues are shaping their votes, and how the political climate has affected them. Their responses, edited for length and clarity, explore transgender rights, marriage equality, healthcare, and personal safety, and what they want others to understand about their lives.
What feels most at stake for you and the LGBTQ community in this year’s midterm elections?
TOM BELL, 69, Aurora, Colo., Bisexual: The Constitution of the United States of America. Donald Trump is regularly violating the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 22nd Amendments, and I probably missed a few. Without the Constitution, America no longer exists.
JASON CLAMAN, 30, Arlington, Va., Gay: Democracy itself. Trump and his far-right supporters are trying to narrow the definition of “American” to straight, white, rural and Christian, with everyone else granted fewer rights.
THOMAS CORBIN, 65, Arlington, Va., Gay: Marriage equality, basic civil rights, transgender freedom civil rights. White Christian Nationalists are a real danger!
ALEX CUSTIN, 34, Silver Spring, Md., Queer Demiguy: My future health and safety are at stake. I was assigned female at birth, and I have medically and legally transitioned to male, though I identify as a demiguy. My ID lists me as X, and my new birth certificate lists me as male without any indication of it previously being female. However, my passport (which is admittedly expired) lists me as female.
I wish I had gone ahead and gotten a new one with a male marker because I don’t know if I can get any passport in the current climate and with my mixed documentation. I already felt like I had to decide to use a male marker because of concerns about an X not being acceptable for other countries, but since I used to have a female passport, I worry I won’t have the option to get a new passport. I’m scared to try to get one because with the way things are going, it wouldn’t surprise me if the federal government made a list of everyone who has applied for or received a passport with a different sex from a previous one.
Adding to my stress is the fact that my older sister is a tall, large, out-spoken trans woman who lives in a rural part of Virginia with another trans woman. To get to the nearest city worth mentioning, they have to go past Trump Town in Boones Mill. If you’re not familiar, it’s a memorabilia store themed after Trump. It’s a nice reminder of why I moved away, but it still scares me since it’s a level of worship that I don’t think any other president or other public figure has achieved in the history of our country.
RUSSWIN FRANCISCO, 60, Washington, D.C., Gay: What feels most at stake is not simply LGBTQ rights, but the fundamental principles of dignity, equality, and personal freedom. We are witnessing an increasingly troubling willingness to turn vulnerable communities into political scapegoats, particularly transgender people, while weakening the institutions meant to protect everyone’s rights. For me, this election is about whether we continue moving toward a more inclusive democracy or allow fear, division, and authoritarianism to define who belongs and who deserves protection. The rights of any community are only as secure as our willingness to defend the rights of all.
ADAM GARNEK, 49, Jacksonville, N.C., Gay: Health care as a whole and for the LGBTQ and Trans community and those in prisons. Providing education and a safe place for LGBTQ children.
BRUCE HOROWITZ, 78, Alexandria, Va., Gay: Getting as many House and Senate Democrats elected as possible to begin placing limits on the illegal if not outright treasonous actions Trump and his allies are making.
JOSEPH IZZO, 78, Washington, D.C., Gay: The influence of the massive amounts of money being spent by America’s oligarchs to defeat Democratic candidates and cement their control over the Federal and State governments. Unless ordinary citizens GOTV and defeat these super wealthy men like Musk, Thiel, Bezos, Zuckerberg, etc., our democracy will be permanently lost.
JUDITH KNEE, 79, Alexandria, Va., Lesbian: Transgender rights especially. LGBT rights in general.
DARREN MARQUARDT, 62, Alexandria, Va., Gay: The possibility of losing ground on rights that took generations to achieve. I came out at a time when marriage equality was barely imaginable. In 1992, I helped establish the Pride Alliance at George Mason University, when simply being visible was an act of courage. We’ve come an extraordinary distance, and I don’t want younger generations to have to fight those same battles all over again.
For me, this is fundamentally about individual liberty. People should have the freedom to love whom they love, build their families, and live authentically without unnecessary government interference. Those freedoms shouldn’t depend on which political party happens to hold power. And rights that took decades to secure shouldn’t feel as though they could disappear with the next election.
KENNETH MENDOZA, 79, Boston, Mass., Gay: All the rights we have fought for. With the emphasis of getting rid of the word “gay” wherever possible, I wonder if we are heading back to pre-Stonewall censorship/hatred. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
ROBERT MIAILOVICH, 88, Arlington, Va., Gay: Electing a Democrat majority in Congress. It’s the only way to put a stop on Trump’s insanity.
The vote on the constitutional amendment in Virginia concerning same-sex marriage will have little practical effect, but it is a meaningful measure of the mood in this country and the solidness of the progress that has been made.
NELL MINOW, 74, McLean, Va., Ally: The othering and demonization of the LGBTQIA+ community with defamatory and deceptive comments and political ads is a defining element of the MAGA/MAHA element of the Republican Party and it has inflicted immeasurable damage on vulnerable people and their families. We need to elect officials who represent all Americans and who are committed to ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, has access to resources and medical treatment, and given every opportunity to live a safe and fulfilling life.
BRUCE N, 68, Naperville, Ill., Gay: The MAGA republicans have done everything in their power to curtail and restrict everything the LGBTQ community has fought for in the past few decades. They will only get more emboldened if they are not stopped in the midterms and greater checks and balances are placed on their Anti-Equality agenda.
LARRY RAY, 74, D.C., Gay: We need to vote Democrat in order to take over both the US House and Senate. This seems to be the only way U.S. can put some guards on the cruelty of the Trump administration. The Trump administration is cruel to every minority including LGBTQ+. They want to turn back the clock to the 1950s when the White Man ruled and the minority rights either did not exist or were restricted.
WARREN ROGERS, 25, New York, N.Y., Gay: For me it’s about the culture of hate embedded into American life. I can remember a decade earlier when there was so much hope for the future of my community. Policies can be undone. I recognize the Trump administration’s litany of harmful actions, however, I think the real problem is the festering culture that has allowed those policies to come to fruition.
As strange as it is to think about, the party in control of the branches of government also holds a great deal of social control. America is run by the people in the middle. If societal pressures point that majority in a direction that is harmful for LGBTQ people, that is exactly where they will go. A flip in the midterms would represent an active stance against that pressure. If my rights have to ride in on the back of lower gas prices, so be it. I recognize that people don’t have the time to think about my individual life and rights in the ballot box.
JOHN STOLTENBERG, 82, Washington, D.C., Gay: I feel this year’s midterms are a referendum on masculinism — meaning the dominance-obsessed identity that is dependent on misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and all other such otherizing fears and contempts without which masculinists cannot experience themselves as worthy and real.
PETE STUART, Kensington, Md., Gay: Restoring benefits to the many who lost health care particularly Medicaid. Reversing the immoral cuts to food programs such as SNAP. Having a Democratic Senate majority to block many judicial nominations. Expanding the number of Supreme Court justices. Electing a Democratic House and Senate to provide a bulwark against initiatives from the most unqualified Cabinet in U.S. history. Last, begin subpoenas for exposing and criminal referrals.
IAN THOMPSON, 44, Frederick, Md., Gay: The stakes should be clear to all Americans — it is essential to end the unchecked power of the most corrupt administration in American history.
Which issue will most influence your vote, and how has it affected your life or the people you care about?
JASON CLAMAN: Fighting Trump’s corruption, lies and attacks on democracy. Trump is forking over taxpayer money to himself and his wealthy donors while riling up his base with dangerous lies about trans people, immigrants, and racial and ethnic minorities. My immigrant friends — even those with legal status — are scared about being kidnapped by ICE thugs. My trans friends are facing an unprecedented level of vitriol. It is only through a shared commitment to a liberal, pluralist democracy that everyone’s rights will be protected.
RUSSWIN FRANCISCO: The issue that most influences my vote is the protection of civil rights and personal autonomy, particularly the freedom to live authentically without government interference. As a member of the LGBTQ community, a business owner, and an educator, I have spent years creating spaces where people can explore their identities and sexuality without shame or fear. I have seen how discrimination, stigma, and political rhetoric affect people’s sense of safety, dignity, and belonging. What concerns me most is how easily rights we once considered secure can become negotiable when fear is used to justify the exercise of power.
CHRISTOPHER ‘KIT’ GRIEDER, 62, Va., Gay: Loss of democracy in our country. Losing the ability to vote, be free of illegal search and seizure, losing marriage equality. It’s about the loss of rights that can’t be replaced in a couple lifetimes.
JOSEPH IZZO: The disastrous SCOTUS “Citizens United” decision that has corrupted our political process with massive amounts of dark money promoting politicians who will do the bidding of the Billionaire Class rather than “We the People.”
DARREN MARQUARDT: The economy, particularly affordability. Between the cost of living, gasoline prices, tariffs, and the seemingly endless increases in everyday expenses, it’s becoming harder for people to get ahead.
Working in the nonprofit sector, I see how financial pressures affect not only individuals and families but also the organizations trying to serve them. Every dollar has to stretch further, while the need for services continues.
Economic policy isn’t an abstract political debate. It affects whether people can afford groceries, transportation, healthcare, and a decent quality of life. I’d like to see more practical solutions and a lot less political theater. Protecting our civil rights matters enormously, but so does being able to afford to live our lives.
NELL MINOW: I’m a lawyer, so the issue that will most influence my vote is the one that should not even need to be raised, the rule of law. The FBI and DOJ must operate independently from the President and be committed to obeying the law and following court orders meticulously. Congress must be committed to fulfilling its role in the Constitutional checks and balances. Federal agencies must live up to the mandates of their enabling legislation. And the Senate must only confirm judges with impeccable records of understanding and following the law. The biggest problems we face now in every category stem from failures to do the one basic underlying principle of our democracy, which is that the law applies to everyone equally and failures to follow the law will be addressed promptly and fairly.
LARRY RAY: The lawless and horrible behavior of Homeland Security ICE is the main issue. A vast majority of us want secured borders and an orderly immigration process. Most of us could understand the deportation of violent undocumented convicted criminals. But because of the extreme number goals, all those who look like a minority are being detained and often deported even if there is no criminal convictions. Moreover, some are being deported to countries of which they have no involvement such as Liberia. In the ideal, SCOTUS will rule that this is un-Constitutional.
WARREN ROGERS: There has been talk in Republican spaces about reversing the gay marriage decision, as well as adoption protections for LGBTQ people. I hope to have a family someday, so these laws are obviously very important to me. I remember telling my mother that I was worried I would lose my right to marry after Trump was elected. She told me that would never happen. She had previously said the same thing about Roe v. Wade being overturned.
PETE STUART: My most important issue is having a Democratic House and Senate to block Trump’s last two years. Then to begin subpoenas for everyone in the most corrupt government in U.S. history and amongst the most corrupt of all the world’s governments.
I’m fortunate to be able to help pay my friend’s health care premiums. I routinely send money for food and an occasional treat. A new Democrat President and a majority House and Senate will restore essential safety nets.
IAN THOMPSON: Domestically, I want candidates who recognize the importance of Medicare for All and the need to guarantee healthcare as a right. There is no single policy that would do more to improve the lives of LGBTQ people and people living with HIV. It is also critically important to me to support candidates who recognize the need to end U.S. complicity in the genocide of Gaza and ethnic cleansing of all of Palestine. On the federal level, I will only support candidates who reject the influence of AIPAC over our politics.
CHIP WALGREN, 64, D.C., Gay: Trump’s grift, corruption, and defacing of the District. We need patriots elected to stand up to bullies, cheats, and liars. I’ve lived in D.C. since the Reagan years and I despair at how armed troops patrol our streets while people starve and personal freedoms slip away.
What do you wish candidates understood about your life before talking about your rights?
TOM BELL: I am protected by the Constitution. I have equal rights under the law.
THOMAS CORBIN: We are human beings, no different from anyone else. We are not dangerous. We do not “recruit.” We are all children of God.
ALEX CUSTIN: All I want is to be reasonably happy and safe, and I want that for everyone else, too. I think too many people believe fervently that every right granted to people who they disagree with also takes away rights from them. I converted to Judaism in 2022, and no one else in my family is Jewish. To me, that’s perfect, so long as everyone tries to be the best person they can be, regardless of their personal beliefs. I find support and incentivization to improve in my faith; other people may find it in a different faith or in a field totally apart from religion, and that’s great as long as they strive to be better.
JOHN DECKER, 60, Lansing, Mich., Gay: Republican candidates don’t seem to have a clue about what is really going on in the world , nor do they care. They only seem to be interested in lining their pockets and going to war.
RUSSWIN FRANCISCO: I wish candidates understood that my life is not a political abstraction or a collection of labels. I am a husband, grandfather, business owner, educator, and artist who shares the same hopes and responsibilities as anyone else: to love, contribute, build a meaningful life, and leave something worthwhile for the next generation. My identity is part of who I am, but it does not diminish my humanity or make my dignity subject to public debate. Rights are not special privileges granted to particular groups; they are the foundation of a society that respects the humanity of everyone.
CHRISTOPHER ‘KIT’ GRIEDER: That I’m just a normal guy, living a normal married life, with grown children, an EV, a garden and a desire to pass down a clean and affordable environment to them.
BILL LIPSETT, 72, Alexandria, Va., Gay: That I am equal to them.
DARREN MARQUARDT: I wish candidates understood that diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just political buzzwords. They’re about real people facing real barriers.
As a gay man who came of age when being openly gay could carry serious consequences, I know what exclusion feels like. I’m also a late-deafened adult who understands firsthand what it’s like to be left out of conversations, opportunities, and experiences simply because communication isn’t accessible.
As the executive director of a nonprofit serving Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, I see every day how accessibility and equal opportunity can change lives. Inclusion isn’t about giving someone special treatment. It’s about removing unnecessary barriers so everyone has a fair opportunity to participate.
At the same time, DEI should be about opening doors, not creating new divisions or putting people into boxes. My political philosophy is rooted in individual liberty, personal responsibility, and equal opportunity. We don’t all have the same experiences, opinions, or needs, and that’s precisely why inclusion matters.
Before politicians start debating our rights, I wish they’d spend more time listening to the people whose lives their decisions affect. And sometimes, listening means making sure everyone can access the conversation in the first place.
BRUCE N: That the negative vitriol and using terms like “groomers” demeans us and creates hatred making us targets for violence.
STEPHEN ROGERS, 60, Burlingame, Calif., Gay: I wish they understood that we don’t want GAY rights or LGBTQ rights, we want the same rights, freedoms and protections from the Government. I pay the same taxes, I should get the same protections.
WARREN ROGERS: I am a person who wants to live like everybody else. I am not a danger to society and I am not a danger to children. I do not wish to recruit children into my community. I will, however, always accept those who are lost. I have no desire to go back to the social policing of the early 2020s, however, we need to reestablish some social decorum going forward. That is what I believe.
How has the political debate over transgender rights affected you?
TOM BELL: They’re coming for the rest of us eventually.
GORDON BINDER, 77, Washington, D.C., Gay: Turn for the worse. Makes me angry though little I can do directly. Still, would like to see trans folks treated with respect and able to enjoy the rights enshrined in the founding documents.
FRANK CHILLE, 66, Cherry Hill, N.J., Gay: I’m more concerned about preserving marriage equality.
JASON CLAMAN: I am not trans, but policing gender expression and public restrooms is bad for everyone.
CHRISTOPHER ‘KIT’ GRIEDER: Not personally, but people I know are being devastated by the rancor, hatred and attacks. For what? Fundraising for the GOP!
DAVID HOLLINGSWORTH, Fayetteville, N.C., Non-Binary: There shouldn’t be any debates. Trans people exist and are valid. It’s pretty simple.
JOSEPH IZZO: I’m infuriated by the gross ignorance of politicians who don’t know or care about the genetic, chromosomal and endocrinology science about Intersex, Transgender, gender non-binary, and gender fluid people. For decades I had a private practice therapy that specialized in helping people transition from the gender assigned at birth to the gender they knew was correct for them. I join with all my gender variant siblings in saying “enough with the repression of people based on their gender identity.”
JUDITH KNEE: Furious, extremely sad, extremely worried.
DARREN MARQUARDT: I’ve supported transgender rights for decades, and that hasn’t changed. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, safety, and equal protection under the law. But I have concerns about how transgender and nonbinary identities have become intertwined in public debate. While there is certainly overlap, these experiences can involve different challenges, needs, and priorities. Treating them as interchangeable can muddy an already complicated conversation, particularly when we’re trying to build understanding among people unfamiliar with either experience.
Growing up, I was an effeminate boy. Traditional expectations of masculinity never quite fit, but I never questioned being a boy. What I wanted was for society to broaden its understanding of what it meant to be male, not redefine my gender. Masculinity and femininity exist across a broad spectrum, and I sometimes wonder whether the growing number of gender labels risks reinforcing the very stereotypes we’ve spent generations trying to break down.
What frustrates me is the rigidity on both sides: those who refuse to acknowledge gender diversity and those who treat any discussion of biological sex as inherently offensive or transphobic. Gender identity and gender expression aren’t the same thing, and some nonbinary people also identify as transgender. I respect that others experience gender differently than I do, but we should be able to discuss these distinctions openly and honestly.
Our LGBTQ community has spent generations asking society to listen, learn, and accept us for who we are. Surely we can extend that same patience and understanding to others. We don’t have to agree on everything to treat one another with dignity and respect.
NELL MINOW: The cynicism of using trans rights as a wedge issue — boys in the girls’ bathroom is this year’s Willie Horton or immigrants eat dogs — and the disregard for the impact this disinformation has on the lives of vulnerable people, especially young people, says everything about what is wrong with Trump and his acolytes.
IAN THOMPSON: The right has cynically used transgender people to deflect attention from their own failures and where political anger should be directed — at the billionaire Epstein Class. Too often, Democrats have been unable or unwilling to effectively fight back against this strategy. We need candidates to say forthrightly: It wasn’t transgender people who launched our nation into a disastrous war of choice in Iran. Transgender people aren’t the reason you can barely afford gas and groceries. Transgender people aren’t the ones building data centers in your backyard.
How has the political climate under Trump affected your sense of belonging or safety as an LGBTQ person?
JAMES BRASIC, 78, Baltimore, Md., Gay: LGBTQ individuals are not safe in the current political climate.
FRANK CHILLE: Less safe for sure.
JASON CLAMAN: I have a little bit of worry every time I walk to a gay bar that we could be the next Pulse. I worry I could be arrested for going to a drag show. Dangerous hateful rhetoric from Trump and the far right is stoking violence.
JOHN DECKER: Trump has encouraged a world full of hate and disrespect.
RUSSWIN FRANCISCO: I don’t live in constant fear, but I am deeply concerned about the normalization of hostility toward LGBTQ people, particularly transgender individuals. Having spent decades building a life, a family, and a business rooted in dignity and inclusion, I find it troubling that acceptance can feel conditional on who holds political power. A society’s commitment to freedom is ultimately measured by how it treats those whose lives challenge conventional expectations.
ADAM GARNEK: As a Marine veteran who served this country, the political climate under Trump has deeply tested my sense of safety and belonging. It frequently feels as though the hard-earned progress toward equality is being rolled back by divisive rhetoric that openly alienates LGBTQ individuals. Seeing political leadership that encourages exclusion rather than unity creates a palpable atmosphere of tension, making me worry significantly for the safety and well-being of the younger generation of LGBTQ youth.
While my background as a veteran and my faith give me the personal resilience to stand firm, the current climate undeniably makes navigating everyday life feel more adversarial and less secure than it should be in a nation that promises liberty and justice for all.
JUDITH KNEE: None of us are safe in this very violent country and world.
BILL LIPSETT: I am very concerned about my safety going forward.
DARREN MARQUARDT: Coming out as a teenager in the late 1970s meant growing up in a world where being openly gay could put your safety, livelihood, and relationships at risk. Throughout the 1980s, I was out and proud, even as AIDS devastated our community. The Reagan years were marked by fear, stigma, discrimination, and an administration whose painfully inadequate response to the epidemic left an entire generation of gay men feeling abandoned and expendable. Having lived through all of that, I never imagined another president could inspire even greater anger and disappointment. Then came Donald Trump.
After nearly fifty years of living openly as a gay man, going back into the closet is unthinkable. But younger LGBTQ people, particularly those without supportive families or communities, may not have the confidence or security that comes with a lifetime of experience.
Trump hasn’t diminished my sense of who I am, my pride in being gay, or my right to belong in this country. What he has shaken is my faith in the judgment and compassion of my fellow Americans. And frankly, that frightens me more than anything he could say about me.
WARREN ROGERS: I first came out in 2015 with the national recognition of gay marriage. Though there was still plenty of room for growth and change, this was a monumental moment for LGBTQ people and for the first time in my life, I felt that a majority of the country had my back in terms of my identity.
Everything changed in 2024, and since then, I feel like I’ve lost trust in my fellow neighbors. I grew up very liberal and surrounded myself with like minded people. When I entered college in 2019, I made an attempt to grow closer to those across the political aisle. Despite our disagreement on certain aspects, I appreciated their friendship. The election of 2024 felt like a betrayal and I have since cut those people out of my life. Given what is at stake for LGBTQ people, I couldn’t understand how a person I cared about could actively choose an administration that was seeking to harm me.
PETE STUART: I’m getting engaged and his packed Supreme Court possibly overturning gay marriage raised concerns. But his cuts to the fundamental safety nets are an existential threat to the lives of gay persons who are less fortunate than I am. I’m fully aware that gay men and women are routinely paid less than their straight counterparts. The actuarial tables show gay men living shorter lives than straight married men. Severe cuts for mental health care compounds the depression, suicide ideations, isolation despair rampant in our community.
STEVE ZACHARIA, 45, Arlington, Va., Gay: I feel much less safe with an unqualified, disillusioned, and vengeful Trump in office.
What would you say to a person who supports Trump but also says they support LGBTQ rights?
GORDON BINDER: You’re free to vote for whomever you choose but dig down into what he and his colleagues have done to rollback progress on our rights and reconsider your vote.
FRANK CHILLE: you cannot support both; it’s like being Jewish and supporting the Nazi Party. They do NOT mix!
JASON CLAMAN: Take the time to listen to people scared by this administration, and really try to understand why they feel that way.
THOMAS CORBIN: Can’t have it both ways! The man is insane and so are his followers no matter what they say.
ALEX CUSTIN: They’re incompatible. He and his supporters have proved time and again that they cannot be trusted when it comes to the health and safety of people who fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, especially if they fall under the trans umbrella, in particular.
JOHN DECKER: I would tell them they’re completely full of shit.
RUSSWIN FRANCISCO: I would respect their right to hold different political views, just as I would hope they respect mine. But I would also ask them to consider the difference between supporting LGBTQ people personally and supporting policies that affect their rights, dignity, and safety. Good intentions matter, but so do consequences, particularly for those who bear the burden of political decisions. For me, the deeper question is whether our commitment to equality remains intact even when it conflicts with our political loyalties.
NELL MINOW: How? Show me how you are supporting those rights when you also support the biggest threat to those rights in decades? If your child was gay or trans, how would you explain this to them?
BRUCE N: You can’t reason with them. It’s pointless.
STEPHEN ROGERS: I’d ask them realistically how many LGBTQ people do they know and do they fully support said persons. I’d also ask what affirmative actions have they taken to protect the LGBTQ persons in their lives.
WARREN ROGERS: These people are delusional. Trump and his government are actively working to erase and impede the rights of LGBTQ individuals. Please name one positive thing he has accomplished that has been worth all the anger, hurt, and tangible damage done to your so called friends and neighbors. I’ll wait.
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
