It’s September 2024, and America’s gun violence crisis continues to spiral out of control.
In the wake of yet another record-setting year of mass shootings, the national focus appears fixated elsewhere—namely on curbing transgender rights and dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Despite widespread public support for stricter gun control measures, lawmakers have channeled their energy into cultural battles rather than addressing the nation’s gun violence epidemic.
The Gun Violence Crisis: A Nation in Denial
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the U.S. saw 692 mass shootings in 2023, a chilling continuation of an upward trend that began in recent years. As of September 2024, more than 500 mass shootings have already been recorded, suggesting the country is again on track to surpass the previous year’s record. With each passing month, the need for meaningful gun reform becomes more urgent—but political action remains elusive.
“How many children need to die before we finally do something?” asked Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting. “It’s unconscionable that we continue to allow the slaughter of innocent people while our politicians are busy debating cultural issues that don’t even affect 99.9% of the population.”
The urgency for gun reform isn’t just coming from survivors like Guttenberg. Polls consistently show broad public support for more stringent gun control measures. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in April 2023 revealed that 60% of Americans favor stricter gun laws, while only 37% oppose them. Additionally, 64% of adults support a ban on assault-style weapons.
Yet, legislative inertia persists. Since the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was signed into law in 2022—providing limited measures like enhanced background checks for young buyers—no significant reforms have gained traction. Calls for universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, and closing the gun show loophole have been met with resistance, largely from the same legislators pushing anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-DEI agendas.
Meanwhile, Trans Rights and DEI Are Under Attack
While gun violence rages on, many state legislatures have been preoccupied with rolling back trans rights and eliminating DEI programs. By mid-2024, at least 22 states had passed laws restricting access to gender-affirming care for minors. These policies, widely condemned by medical organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, are rooted in political calculations rather than public health concerns.
“We are talking about issues that don’t even exist in most of these communities,” said Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice at the ACLU. “Lawmakers are pushing these bills not because they address real problems, but because they distract from their failure to act on life-and-death issues like gun violence.”
A similar attack has been waged against DEI programs in education and the workplace. Following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to dismantle affirmative action, several states have moved to eliminate DEI offices in public universities. In July 2024, Texas signed into law a measure that bans DEI offices in its public colleges and universities, a move that experts warn will further marginalize underrepresented groups.
“It’s clear that DEI has become a convenient target for those who want to wage a culture war rather than focus on solving real problems,” said Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist. “But gutting these programs will only serve to deepen inequalities in education and employment.”
Guns: The Leading Cause of Death for American Children
While lawmakers divert attention toward cultural battles, the most horrifying statistic remains: guns are now the leading cause of death for American children and teenagers. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), firearm-related injuries overtook motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death for youth in 2020. By 2023, gun deaths among children had surged again, with more than 3,600 fatalities reported that year alone.
“The fact that we’ve reached a point where more children die from guns than from car crashes is an indictment of our entire system,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “It’s clear that the majority of Americans want stronger gun laws, yet we’re continually stonewalled by politicians who are more interested in policing bathrooms than preventing mass shootings.”
The Political Focus: Bathroom Bills Over Background Checks
By focusing on LGBTQ+ issues and DEI programs, politicians have effectively shifted the national conversation away from addressing the gun violence crisis. In 2024, over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures across the country, according to Freedom for All Americans, with the majority targeting transgender rights and youth sports. Simultaneously, states like Florida and Texas have enacted sweeping bans on DEI initiatives, claiming such programs promote division.
Yet, according to polling from The Trevor Project, only 0.6% of U.S. adults identify as transgender, and there is no evidence to suggest that trans athletes or gender-affirming care pose any kind of public threat. Meanwhile, guns—very real threats to public safety—remain ubiquitous and largely unregulated.
“The energy being poured into these cultural battles is energy that could be spent saving lives,” says David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting and co-founder of March for Our Lives. “Instead, we’re watching lawmakers turn their backs on common-sense gun reform and pander to extremists who would rather argue over who uses which bathroom.”
Priorities in the Wrong Place
As the nation reels from another record-setting year of gun violence, the political focus on rolling back trans rights and gutting DEI programs seems not only misguided but deeply cynical. Despite overwhelming evidence that stricter gun laws would save lives, lawmakers are prioritizing wedge issues that divide rather than protect.
“There’s a moral failure at the heart of this,” said Watts. “We know what the real threats to American lives are—gun violence, inequality, lack of access to healthcare—but instead, we’re being led down a path of distraction and division. How many more children have to die before we get our priorities straight?”
21 Ignorant Lies About Americans the Rest of the World Claims Are True
Americans are often the subject of wild assumptions and exaggerated stereotypes. Are these misconceptions affecting how the world views the average American? 21 Ignorant Lies About Americans the Rest of the World Claims Are True
Flawed Gender Tests: Olympic Committee Sends Plea to Boxing Officials
The International Olympic Committee has declared old boxing gender tests as flawed and illegitimate. This has arisen amid discussions regarding gender in Olympic female boxing matches. Flawed Gender Tests: Olympic Committee Sends Plea to Boxing Officials
This article was first published on Pulse of Pride.
Feature photo credit: Shutterstock/ Johnny Silvercloud. The images used are for illustrative purposes only and may not represent the actual people or places mentioned in the article.
For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.
