The internet lit up after CNN anchor Anderson Cooper referred to a gender nonconforming woman as “she” instead of using “they/them” pronouns.
It happened during a Bernie Sanders town hall on Wednesday. Cooper introduced Grace Thomas, a Democratic civil rights attorney, saying, “She’s a local civil rights attorney. She’s a Democrat.”
Thomas corrected him quickly. “It’s they/them pronouns, actually,” she said. Cooper replied with a brief, “Oh.”
Thomas then asked why Democrats are losing young male voters. Online viewers immediately zeroed in on the awkward exchange. Many saw it as a perfect illustration of the Democrats' disconnect.
“The best part is that right after scolding Anderson Cooper for not calling her ‘they,’ she asks a question about why Democrats are losing men,” someone wrote on X.
“Anderson Cooper just misgendered a civil rights attorney,” another person said. “They are not serious. Keep on putting the pronoun police on camera, we will win every election.”
Former college swimmer Riley Gaines also weighed in. “Calling for Anderson Cooper’s immediate resignation for believing what his eyes were telling him he saw. Bigot,” she quipped.
President Trump hasn’t missed a beat on this issue. One of his campaign ads declared, “Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you.”
While many Democrats embrace gender ideology, most Americans don’t. Pew Research found voters generally oppose things like puberty blockers for kids and letting biological males compete in women’s sports.
Even some top Democrats are softening their stance. California Gov. Gavin Newsom told Charlie Kirk last month that men in women’s sports is “an issue of fairness” and “easy to call out.”
His comments didn’t go over well. Liberals blasted him for backing off. Conservatives accused him of trying to play both sides.