Many have been impressed with the way Vivek Ramaswamy addresses difficult situations and has managed hecklers during campaign events.
During a campaign rally over the weekend, Ramaswamy once again demonstrated his ability to diffuse a situation and engage a protester in meaningful dialogue.
On Friday evening at a campaign stop in Iowa, Ramaswamy was confronted by an LGBTQ activist. According to The Western Journal, the activist who was about to “storm out of the event” was persuaded by the presidential candidate to share their concerns.
A productive dialogue ensued and ended with the activist giving Ramaswamy a fist bump as an expression of appreciation when the discussion was over.
The unplanned encounter began when a woman stood and interrupted Ramaswamy’s speech by loudly expressing her displeasure with Republican opposition to many “LGBT issues.”
Rather than ignoring or ordering the removal of the woman, Ramaswamy paused and invited her to take his microphone and express her concerns.
The woman refused the mic, but pressed Ramaswamy to comment on LGBTQ issues saying, “What is your stance on LGBTQ?”
Ramaswamy asked the woman to share her concerns and then he would respond. The woman stood and said “LGBTQ is a serious problem. … there are children who are bullied because they are gay, lesbian, transgender. … What is your stand on LGBTQ.”
Ramaswamy thanked the woman for her question and said, “…you deserve an answer.” The candidate began by stating that “the same [movement] that said your sexual preference … is hardwired into your [brain] on the day you are born … is now saying that your own biological sex is totally fluid throughout your life.”
Ramaswamy argued that those two statements cannot both be true and that “transgenderism is a mental health disorder.”
After “flipping off” the candidate and beginning to walk out, Ramaswamy pleaded for the protester to stay, which she did, and they engaged in a tense but productive dialogue.
Ramaswamy argued that performing gender transition surgeries and procedures on minors “is not compassion — it’s cruel.”
After Ramaswamy expressed his view, he allowed the woman to speak. She shared that she knew she was gay when she was a youth. Ramaswamy noted that adults were free to choose their lifestyles and sexual preferences, but minors must be protected.
He further argued there should be gender divisions in sports and that the government and education system should not infringe on the values of conservative-minded families.
The crowd applauded as Ramaswamy concluded the discussion by saying, “All should be treated with dignity.”
Ramaswamy described the incident as “something surprising” on his X account.
Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Everyone should have the opportunity to calmly voice their concerns, debate them respectfully as was done here.