Democrats Need to Rediscover Accountability
The Democratic Party, the party of Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, has in recent years, seen a troubling trend, one fundamentally redefining traditional narratives and blurring the lines of accountability.
Indeed, long gone from the party are the demeanors of both FDR and Kennedy.
At the forefront of the party's attention — or shift, if one prefers — is the controversial issue of women’s sports and the inclusion of transgender athletes.
No one should be surprised that this emergent trend has sparked intense debate about fairness and the sanctity of women’s rights.
With the results of Election '24 behind us, has the time finally arrived for Democrats, and the left in general, to stop playing and dealing the victim card, own up to being the aggressors in these disputes, and concurrently, for women’s rights organizations to reignite their advocacy efforts to protect the rights of biological women?
The Democratic Party has long prided itself on being the champion of civil rights and social progress. However, this enduring image, as well as the positive aspects of the legacies of FDR and Kennedy, are at risk as they continue to advocate for policies that many feel infringe upon women's rights, especially in the athletics realm.
The inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports raises complex questions about fairness, safety, and the original intent of gender-specific categories.
Transgender athletes participating in women’s sports are often framed as a civil rights issue, yet this discourse overlooks the concerns of female athletes who may be disadvantaged in terms of competition and opportunity.
Rather than addressing these valid concerns, especially as Olympic leadership condemned transgender athletes entering the women’s athletic competitions, some Democrats have shifted the narrative, labeling themselves victims of a perceived right-wing attack on transgender rights, even as they dismiss the voices of countless women and girls who feel their rights are being infringed upon.
This narrative not only mischaracterizes the issue but also portrays those who raise legitimate concerns as bigoted or intolerant, stifling important conversations about how best to balance competing rights in a complex society.
Women's rights organizations who somehow sadly disappeared from bullying by the Democrats, whom historically vocal defenders of women's and girls’ rights, must step up and reclaim their position in this debate.
The fight for gender equality was founded on the principle of fairness, and it's imperative that these organizations remember and re-embrace this core value.
Women's sports were established to create fair competition, and any challenge to this fairness must be thoroughly scrutinized rather than ignored or silenced.
Americans spoke and did so loudly on Nov. 5, 2024.
By choosing our nation's 45th president, to now be our 47th, by a historic majority, Americans have highlighted a growing unease with policies which do not adequately consider the implications for biological women, and also abuse democracy.
As the party largely heralded for its progressive values, Democrats have a responsibility to engage honestly — and not loudly hysterical — with these issues.
However, this starts with owning their role as aggressors in this debate and actively working to restore a narrative of fairness, respect, and rationality.
It is time to praise when it's warranted, but also to call attention to the always critical importance of supporting women’s rights.
This means listening to those directly affected, safeguarding fairness, and actively working to bridge divides without defaulting to victimhood and not allowing men to intrude women’s locker rooms, while stealing their validation and identities.
Playing and dealing the victim card wastes precious time better spent on achieving genuine progress and justice for all.
Duvi Honig is founder and chief executive officer of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, a global umbrella of businesses of all sizes, bridging the highest echelons of the business and governmental worlds together, stimulating economic opportunity and positively affecting public policy of governments. His work has been recognized by both Presidents Obama and Trump. Read more of his reports — Here.