I have talked before about the danger that the right wing poses to American democracy. But there is another danger lurking which has recently gained more traction on the right The growing persecution of the LGBTQ community.

Genocide Watch, an organization focused on the prevention of genocide, created a system to describe how genocide develops. Its founder, Gregory Stanton, describes the process in a series of ten stages.

The first of these is classification. This one is mundane, but it is an important prerequisite going forward. As a society, we have classifications of gay versus straight, cisgender versus transgender and increasingly, queer versus “normal.”

Next is symbolization. Like classification, symbolization is a universal human behavior that does not necessarily result in genocide. But when paired with hate movements, it can lead to dehumanization. The right has attributed certain traits to the queer community, from dyed hair to effeminacy and drag, among others.

The first concrete step is discrimination. Over the last few years, the right has made a

concerted effort to pass discriminatory legislation against queer communities. Red states across the country have passed laws limiting or denying gender-affirmingcare. Florida’s recent “Don’t  Say Gay” bill would cause a chilling effect on teachers, ensuring that children are not taught about queer issues. By mandating teachers report if they hear a child say they’regay or transgender, Florida would equate being queer with child abuse.

This effort does not only come in the form of passing new laws, but also revoking rights and precedents. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has suggested that the Court reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges and Lawrence v. Texas, the cases recognizing the right to gay marriage and declaring legislation banning gay sex as unconstitutional.

Two other steps, dehumanization and polarization, go hand-in-hand. Using the symbols from before, propagandists deny the humanity of the targeted group and equate them with vermin and disease. It is meant to form an “us versus them” dynamic.

This can be seen in the fact that the right has pushed a narrative lately centered around the idea that queer people are inherently dangerous to children. This includes ideas that gay men cannot be trusted to be teachers, or transgender women cannot be trusted to use the restroom. This “Think of the children” excuse has been used time after time to deny people their rights. We saw a resurgence of anti-gay sentiment with the recent monkeypox scare, reminding many of the vitriolic response to the AIDS crisis.

The last four steps detail the genocide itself: organization, preparation, persecution, and extermination. Luckily, we have not reached these points yet. But the foundation is present, and the right seems determined to continue down this path.

The comparison to atrocities of the past must not be taken lightly. Not everyone you disagree with is Hitler, but as has been pointed out by a number of Holocaust survivors like Erika Jacoby and Stephen Jacobs, there are frightening similarities between 1930s Germany and modern America.

The right has laid these foundations for a reason. While the average Republican voter or pundits like Steven Crowder or Tucker Carlson might not have grand designs, the far-right certainly does.

We cannot ignore it as we currently are. “Never Again” is an expression that we must stay true to. We cannot allow the right to further erode our democracy and endanger those who most need protection.

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