Fossil fuel wealth fuels surge in anti-trans legislation, new analysis shows
A recent investigation reveals that most major anti-trans organizations in the U.S. receive financial support from fossil fuel interests, intertwining climate obstruction with attacks on LGBTQIA+ rights.
Yessenia Funes reports for HEATED and Atmos.
In short:
- A new analysis found that 80% of 45 anti-trans groups in the U.S. have received funding from fossil fuel companies or billionaires, including Shell and Anschutz.
- The Alliance Defending Freedom, which has helped author numerous anti-trans bills, received donations from Shell and Anschutz, who also funds several transphobic organizations and events.
- Experts say this funding strategy distracts from climate accountability and helps fossil fuel interests build a broader conservative base using culture war politics.
Key quote:
“Fossil fuels have seeped into every crease of American politics.”
— Jesse Bryant, sociologist at Yale University studying right-wing environmentalism
Why this matters:
The growing alliance between fossil fuel interests and anti-trans groups is not just about culture wars — it’s about power. These corporations and billionaires are investing in campaigns that deflect attention from the climate crisis by stirring up fear and resentment against already marginalized groups. The result is a double blow for trans people, who are both targeted by harsh legislation and disproportionately vulnerable to climate-related disasters like floods, heatwaves, and displacement. This kind of coordinated influence over both environmental and civil rights policy shows how entrenched fossil fuel money has become in American politics. It complicates efforts to build coalitions for climate justice by weaponizing identity and suppressing solidarity.
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