The 'Mark Robinson' effect: When they can't have trans bodies, they attack them

A torchbearer of morality, right?

Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina, has made a career out of weaponizing words and policies against anyone who doesn't fit his narrow vision of what's "right." On Thursday, CNN dropped the bombshell that Robinson allegedly left scathing and frankly terrifying comments on a porn website's forum over a decade ago. By identifying and cross-referencing the comments and shared stories by the username minisoldr, CNN had a cache of comments written by the Republican gubernatorial nominee.

And let's say his comments are...illuminating.

Among his quips, he reportedly referred to himself as a "Black Nazi." In addition to a suggestion of reinstating slavery, Robinson minisoldr indulged in the grossly perverted habit of peeing in women's bathrooms, referring to himself as a "perv." The part that was the most eyebrow-raising revelation for me was minisoldr admitting he liked trans porn. Yes, the same man who has spent his campaign lambasting trans people, questioning our rights, and throwing us under the proverbial bus is quite the fan of our bodies when no one's looking.

Surprised? Sure. Shocked? Absolutely not. The reveal is a classic tale of a man so steeped in self-loathing and repression that he lashes out at those who live in their truth.

The latest scandal isn't just a Robinson problem. It's a pattern.

Related: 17 of the most batsh*t things Mark Robinson has said

It's hard not to see this as part of a much larger narrative. The same party that builds its entire platform on "morality" seems to be plagued by scandal after scandal. GOP politicians, advisors, and pundits have been caught red-handed in at least 14 recent incidents. From Matt Gaetz's drug-powered sex parties to Matt Schlapp's sexual assaults on aides, and Mark Foley's unsolicited explicit messages.

There is a lot of dirt behind the scenes for a party claiming to be the standard-bearer of family values.

But it's not just about political theater. This constant barrage of anti-trans rhetoric isn't just offensive; it's dangerous. It fuels a culture of hate that trickles down into the everyday lives of people like me. Schools, once a safe space for young minds to flourish, have become battlegrounds where trans kids are bullied, harassed, and driven to the brink simply because they dare to exist. Pride parades across the country are under attack, not because we're doing anything radical, but because we want to love freely and live authentically.

And the worst part? The violence is escalating.

So far this year, at least 26 transgender Americans have lost their lives to violence. The figure may be down from a heartbreaking high of 57 in 2021, but we all know the number doesn't capture the full scope. So many deaths go unreported, misgendered, or simply unsolved. And overwhelmingly, the victims are trans women of color, predominately Black women like myself.

A chilling statistic from the Human Rights Campaign also shows that attacks by people known to the victim, be it friends, family members, or romantic/sexual partners, have spiked to 40% this year, compared to 26% just two years ago. We have to fear not just strangers but those closest to us.

It's a bitter reminder that living your truth comes with a price in this country.

Related: Black transgender woman gunned down in Chicago

By Thursday afternoon, Robinson had already released a video blaming his opponent for leaking the story as though the source of the leak negated the content's deluge. "Those are not the words of Mark Robinson," he insisted. He later went on to reference Clarence Thomas's infamous "high-tech lynching" response from his 1991 confirmation man. Ironically, the now-Supreme Court Justice is embroiled in a scandal of his own, which has partly brought into question the integrity of the highest court in the land.

When the walls close in, you reach for anything, even if it's a problematic reference to an even more complicated figure.

I wish I could say I was shocked by the revelation. How many times have we seen folks like him make their careers out of attacking people like me, people within our LGBTQIA+ community, only to be caught with their pants down—literally or figurately—when the truth comes out? Obsessed with trans bodies, fixated on what's between our legs, where we go to the bathroom, and how we live our lives. And yet, behind closed doors, they can't get enough of us.

The affair between transphobic men and trans women they secretly desire is nothing new. Nor are they limited to prominent figures in the public eye.

The number of men who swipe right on dating apps or slide into my DMs, all while subscribing to political ideologies that oppose my existence, is far too high. These men live double lives, hiding their true desires while publicly condemning the people they covet.

I'm no secret, and I'm definitely not your dirty little shame.

The truth is Robinson's situation is emblematic of a larger cultural phenomenon. The far-right is so focused on demonizing the so-called "woke" agenda that they've become blind to their hypocrisy. They rail against trans people, queer rights, and anything that doesn't fit their narrow worldview, all to ensure folks won't turn an eye to their skeletons.

And trust me, those closets are overflowing.

As Republicans continue to wage war on rights and other social issues, they continue to quietly but loudly implement Project 2025, their political playbook that aims to strip away the rights of not just trans people but all Americans. They'll have us distracted with bathroom bills, attacks on DEI, and disdain for drag queens while they quietly dismantle the very fabric of American democracy.

Men who hate us because they can't have us; men who want us because they can't have us. This is the world where men like Robinson exist. It's a sad, twisted and dangerous dance.

But I'm not about to miss a step. Living my truth proudly and unashamedly will always be louder than their lies.

Marie-Adélina de la Ferrière is the Community Editor at equalpride, publisher of The Advocate.

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