Actress Lynda Carter, best known as the star of the 1970s live-action television series Wonder Woman, was cheered by her fans after she issued a strong and spirited defense of the rights of transgender people, who have been the subject of increased attacks by conservative legislatures around the United States.
Writing on Twitter, Carter said that she "cannot think of anything that helps women’s rights less than pinning the blame on trans women," adding that the community faces "so much violence and scrutiny as is."
Carter urged her readers to leave transgender people "alone and focus on the real war on women" that is "happening in the courts and legislatures around this country."
In recent months, Republicans across the country have sponsored a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, much of it directed at transgender people.
The legislation is a further example of how transgender issues have recently galvanized the far right, taking a spot at the forefront of attacks conservatives have directed toward the LGBTQ+ community in what has become one of the more defining elements of the culture wars.
Last month, Louisiana became the 18th state in the United States to ban trans athletes from competing in school sports, continuing a dark trend.
Notably, in April, after Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear vetoed a bill that bans transgender girls from participating in school sports, Kentucky Republicans moved swiftly to override it, enacting a bill that would require parents to show birth certificates for their children to participate in these activities.
Conservative talking points about transgender people have also received nationwide attention given the recent controversy that erupted in Texas after Greg Abbott, the state's Republican governor, signed off on legislation that, though ultimately struck down by a federal judge, would have empowered the state to open child abuse investigations into families whose children receive gender affirming procedures.
These issues have happened alongside a rightward shift in reproductive rights that reached a tipping point in late June after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that once protected a person's right to choose reproductive healthcare without excessive government restriction.
Multiple states have trigger laws that immediately went into effect upon Roe's reversal that effectively ban abortion within their borders, such as one in Utah that prohibits the procedure except in cases where it "is necessary to avert the death" of the pregnant woman or there is "a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function."
Many have applauded Carter for speaking out.
Carter has been consistently praised for her progressive advocacy, often speaking out on matters related to women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights and gun control.
Last month, she made headlines after she called out the right-wing conspiracy website Breitbart after it criticized Dallas Buyers Club actor Matthew McConaughey for using guns in his films. McConaughey—a gun owner with somewhat libertarian views—has been vocal about the need for comprehensive gun control in response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas where he was born and raised.
Carter responded to Breitbart's "story" with a simple observation of her time starring on Wonder Woman, noting her character on that show "flew an invisible plane" but she nonetheless "supports abiding by the laws of air traffic and physics."
