John Oliver Calls Out Republican Transphobia

There is a growing list of comedians debunking Republican-spread myths about transgender children. John Oliver is among them.

The comedian addressed conservative transphobes on Sunday's Last Week Tonight on HBO.

"More people do seem comfortable coming out as trans and gender-nonconforming, which is great," Oliver said. "But as you have undoubtedly noticed, in the past few years, some on the right have truly lost their minds about trans rights."

Conservative disinformation about gender-affirming care, like the false notion that children can request on-demand surgery or make permanent changes without consulting a doctor, is devastating to young people looking for treatment.

Oliver started the segment by showing a montage of conservatives reacting poorly to a pronoun.

Then he launched into a long and in-depth explanation of the latest developments in the war against transgender people in America after landing a few jokes at U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's expense.

Oliver noted that as anti-LGBTQ+ bills flood state legislatures this year, transgender people suffer violent assaults, and children's hospitals must take security precautions to serve gender-affirming patients.

Oliver explained all of the right-wing panic surrounding the health care of trans kids, the false and hateful slur that LGBTQ+ people are groomers, and the ridiculous conspiracy theory that schools have provided litter boxes to children who identify as furry as a sign of their commitment to inclusivity. So although the situation is not real, there is a conspiracy theory behind it.

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In debunking each talking point, Oliver uses a combination of facts and humor to demonstrate its absurdity.

Last week Jon Stewart delved into transgender issues. On his Apple TV+ show, The Problem With Jon Stewart, the comedian and activist masterfully took down anti-trans Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge in a video that has to be seen to be believed.

"This powerful segment from John Oliver is another excellent example of a comedian doing high-quality, thorough reporting on transgender rights while refuting rampant lies and disinformation," HRC Senior Vice President for Programs, Research, and Training Jay Brown said in a press release.

"With the rights of transgender individuals under attack by state legislators around the country, it is of utmost urgency that these issues are elevated in our national discourse. We are grateful that prominent figures are talking about these important issues and debunking virulent anti-trans propaganda," Brown said.