At CPAC, Conservative Commentator Says 'Transgenderism Must Be Eradicated from Public Life Entirely'

Ring-wing commentator calls for what seems like a final solution for trans population at the CPAC conference this weekend. The Daily Beast reports that "Michael Knowles–right-wing political commentator associated with the Daily Wire–said 'for the good of society... transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely' at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday afternoon."

The Daily Beast notes how numerous voices came out addressing Knowles comments as toxic.

"The transphobic comment has prompted reactions of horror, with Tech expert and author Alejandra Caraballo writing that Knowles was 'openly calling for genocide against trans people.' John Knefel of Media Matters also labelled the comment 'genocidal.' Similarly, Christopher Mathias called it an 'eliminationist anti-trans tirade.'" Adam Vary of Variety agreed, responding to Mathias' Tweet: 'Pay attention. This is genocidal.'

Earlier this week Knowles dismissed the genocidal implications of his point-of-view on The Daily Wire's "The Michael Knowles Show."

"I don't know how you could have a genocide of transgender people because genocide refers to genes, it refers to genetics, it refers to biology," Knowles said. "And the whole point of transgenderism is that it has nothing to do with biology.

"Nobody's calling to exterminate anybody because the other problem with that statement is that transgender people is not a real ontological category," he added. "It's not a legitimate category of being."

But Knowles wasn't the only one attacking the transgender community. The Independent reports: "In speech after speech and panel after panel, the guests on the stage at one of the biggest platforms for right-wing activists and Republican officials lobbed casual attacks against transgender Americans, made jokes at their expense, or threatened to strip them of their healthcare and remove them from public life."

Amongst them are far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who told the conference that she plans to introduce a bill she is calling the Protect Children's Innocence Act that would make it a felony to perform "anything to do with gender-affirming care" for minors.

The Independent adds: "One panel on 3 March featured Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, among interest groups advancing legislation across the US to end gender-affirming care for trans youth and, ultimately, end affirming care for all trans people. He intentionally misgendered two prominent transgender women activists as men in his remarks on the panel."

That panel also featured Chloe Cole, a "detransitioner" who has become a central figure in a right-wing campaign to restrict gender-affirming care, despite the vast majority of trans people maintaining their gender identity. As well as Riley Gaines, an American swimmer who repeatedly called trans swimmer Lia Thomas a "biological male", also appeared on the panel to speak out against trans athletes; Ms Thomas has been routinely attacked by her former competitors, sports stars, politicians, activists, and even some of her teammates' parents.

And the HuffPost writes that Sebastian Gorka, another prominent conservative voice and "an alleged member of a Nazi-collaborating political order in Hungary who served as an advisor to former President Donald Trump, "kicked off proceedings Friday morning from the main stage inside the Gaylord Convention Center. Democrats, he warned the crowd, are 'mutilating boys and girls' and 'sacrificing them on the altar of their transgender insanity.'"