John,

 

If you’ve been online the past couple days, I’m sure you’ve seen the attacks on Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif.

 

Republicans are claiming that Khelif is actually transgender and using her win against Italian boxer Angelina Carini to push fear about letting “men” play in women’s sports. 
A photo of Imane Khelif and three tweets from Republican lawmakers. Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance writes “This is where Kamala Harris’ ideas about gender lead: to a grown man pummeling a woman in a boxing match. This is disgusting, and all of our leaders should condemn it.” Senator Josh Hawley writes “This is where the crazies who want men playing women’s sports are taking us.” Lauren Boebert writes “Angelina Carini, the Olympic female boxer from Italy that was defeated in 45 seconds by a biological man, deserves better.

They’ve taken their propaganda so far that they’re using it to attack Kamala Harris. I have two really big problems with that, John.

 

One, this story has nothing to do with the United States or our own Olympic athletes. Two, Imane Khelif is a cisgender female.

 

I wanted to know where these GOP attacks originated, and I’m not surprised by the answer: it’s Russia.

In December 2020, Umar Kremlev became president of the International Boxing Association (IBA). The IBA was responsible for testing boxers’ eligibility to qualify for the Olympics. 

 

After taking over the IBA, Kremlev moved many of the organization’s international operations to Russia. That raised eyebrows, but larger concerns were raised when he ended all partnerships with IBA sponsors and named Russian-state energy giant Gazprom as IBA’s only sponsor.

 

To be clear: Gazprom – a company known for leading Putin’s influence efforts in other countries and for once employing multiple members of Trump’s 2016 campaign and administration – became the sole corporate financial backer of the IBA.

 

When Imane Khelif beat a Russian opponent in the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship finals in March of last year, Russia was MAD. Three days later, the IBA disqualified her from the competition and alleged that DNA testing revealed she has XY chromosomes and was therefore not a woman.

 

According to reporting by The Washington Post and a statement from the International Olympic Committee, the IBA never provided evidence of DNA test results, XY chromosomes, or elevated levels of testosterone. It was all a lie – a lie that Republicans are now pushing for their own anti-trans agenda.

 

Last year, the IOC revoked IBA’s status, expelling an international athletic federation from the Olympics for the first time in history.

 

When Republicans discredit Imane Khelif today, they are also discrediting the Olympics as a whole. They are also intentionally ruining the reputation of an innocent woman of color, just like when they tried to say that Michelle Obama is a man.

 

I believe there is no place for hate in Congress, and every community should be a safe place for trans youth to grow up and trans adults to live without fear. I’m running to protect LGBTQ+ Americans from the legislative and cultural attacks on our community. Will you help me?

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John, I am proud to announce that I have joined the board of Trans Affirm, an Idaho non-profit providing resources and accepting spaces for transgender Idahoans.

 

Whether we win or lose in November, there’s no reason to stop trying to help people, no matter their gender, orientation, race, or any other factors Republicans use to divide us.

 

Republicans do not take breaks from normalizing hate towards minority groups and pushing policies to make that group’s life more difficult.

 

That’s why we have to do the work on every level, every single day, and not just during an election season. But it would be a whole lot easier if I could do the work in Congress.

 

Thank you,

 

-David
         

David Roth is a single, gay dad running for Idaho’s Second Congressional District. We’re going up against a GOP incumbent who has been in this seat for 25 years. It’s time for change in Idaho, and our grassroots campaign is building on the momentum that began in David’s race for U.S. Senate last cycle. The GOP is not planning to defend this seat, so we plan to take it from them and help Democrats retake the House majority next year. We’d love your support to build a solid campaign to bring progress to Idaho and the country.

 

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