A Tale of Two Cities: On Bad Bills, Broken Processes, and the Cost of Silence
Introduction
There’s a bill moving through the Pennsylvania Senate right now — Senate Bill 9 — that proposes banning trans women and girls from participating in women’s sports. Let’s be honest about what this is: it’s not about fairness, safety, or competition. It’s about attacking a minority group that has been relentlessly targeted by right-wing politics for years.
The bill is dead on arrival in Pennsylvania. It will not become law. But the harm was never in whether it passes. The harm is in the performance — the public spectacle of putting trans lives and dignity up for debate, yet again.
This is what the Republican Party does best: waste taxpayer time pushing legislation that says not everyone counts.
This post isn’t about James Malone, the Democratic candidate for State Senate who recently aligned himself with this bill. This is about the bill itself, and the sickness at the heart of any politics that traffics in cruelty to score points. (For more on the original story, click here: https://www.witf.org/2025/04/18/incoming-democratic-pa-sen-james-malone-backs-bill-to-restrict-trans-women-girl-athletes/)
But while the bill is bad enough, the silence — the dodging, the deflection, the refusal to lead — has been just as shameful.
Because here in Lancaster County, the Democratic Party doesn’t seem to know how to handle this moment either.
I Went to the Lancaster County Democratic Committee in Good Faith. The Response Was Anything But.
When this issue emerged, I did what I believe any committed Democrat and community advocate should do:
I went directly to the Lancaster County Democratic Committee.
I raised the question — directly and respectfully — about where the party stands on trans rights. I asked whether they had vetted James Malone on this issue before endorsing him. I asked because I wanted to help the party avoid yet another unforced error. I even said it clearly: this wasn’t about personal attacks. This was about protecting the integrity of the party and doing right by the people we claim to fight for.
What I received in return was not engagement, and they chose not to answer my questions.
Visibility Without Backbone
March 31st was Trans Day of Visibility — a day meant to celebrate the strength, dignity, and leadership of trans people across our communities.
On that day, the PA Democratic Party, PA House Democrats, and PA Senate Democrats made their positions clear. They didn’t just post a flag emoji. They named the attacks on trans people for what they are and backed their words with action — like the Name Change Reform Package highlighted by leaders like Senators Amanda M. Cappelletti, Katie Muth, Tim Kearney, and Lindsey Williams.(https://pasenate.com/state-senators-highlight-name-change-reform-legislative-package/)
On January 28th The LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus of the PA House posted their commitment to Transgender Pennsylvaninas:
“With the Trump administration launching attacks on transgender rights on day one, we recognize the immediate need to safeguard transgender individuals within the borders of our great commonwealth. Our caucus is committed to exploring and exhausting all legislative avenues—through the Fairness Act and beyond—to accomplish that critical goal.”(https://www.pahouse.com/Mayes/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=136940)
Meanwhile, on March 31st the Lancaster County Democratic Committee shared a feel-good Facebook post from the PA House Democrats:
“Today we celebrate the strength, courage and contributions of the transgender community! 🏳️⚧️🫶”
No mention of policy. No condemnation of attacks on trans rights. No leadership.
Just a post they shared. They could not be bothered even to write their own words.
This is the problem: visibility without backbone.
When it’s time to act, ask candidates hard questions, or name harm directly, the Lancaster County Democrats go quiet.
If the county had a real policy platform or vetting process tied to these values, we wouldn’t be here. But without it, their “support” is just optics.
This Isn’t About Hurt Feelings. This Is About Broken Process.
I’m not sharing this because my feelings were hurt. I’m sharing this because the Lancaster County Democratic Committee’s approach to leadership is failing — not just me, but the very people they’re asking to support them.
Here’s the truth:
There is no clear policy platform being shared at the county level.
There is no transparent vetting process for candidates.
There is no accountability mechanism when endorsed candidates stray from what should be basic Democratic values.
If there is a written platform, it isn’t being shared with the rank-and-file committee members — let alone the broader public.
What we’re left with is relationship-based endorsements — decisions made behind closed doors, driven by who knows who, not by what candidates actually stand for.
That’s not how you build a movement. That’s not leadership.
That’s the same transactional, insider politics that voters across the political spectrum have grown tired of.
The Tale of Two Processes: Lancaster Stands Up vs. Lancaster County Democratic Committee
Now compare this to the process I’ve witnessed firsthand at Lancaster Stands Up.
At LSU, endorsement doesn’t come from backroom deals. It comes from:
A clear, public questionnaire.
Candidate interviews.
Real accountability built into the process.
Values-based decision-making.
If a candidate wants the backing of Lancaster Stands Up, they have to show up, answer the hard questions, and stand on their values.
And here’s the thing:
I can’t recall a single candidate in recent years who won and was endorsed by Lancaster Stands Up and later turned their back on the community they claimed to represent. The process works because it’s clear, consistent, and principled.
Can the Lancaster County Democratic Committee say the same?
If the committee leadership wants to know why voters and grassroots organizers are losing faith, they should start here.
Politics Is Addition. Politics Is Coalition. Politics Is Solidarity.
The most frustrating part of all of this is that we should be on the same side.
Politics — especially progressive politics — is supposed to be about addition and coalition-building. It’s about bringing more people into the process, not locking the doors tighter.
It’s about standing together with those who are under attack — not just posting about it on social media once a year, but actually doing the work to show that we mean it.
The failure here isn’t just about James Malone’s position on a terrible bill.
It’s about the committee’s refusal to lead — and its failure to build the kind of infrastructure that could prevent these moments from happening in the first place.
A Missed Opportunity? Choosing Political Safety Over Values
What were the key factors that led the party to endorse Senator-elect James Malone?
In the most recent endorsement cycle, the Lancaster County Democratic Committee selected James Malone over Matthew Good — a candidate whose background and actions appeared to align more closely with core Democratic values.
Good, a dedicated school librarian, made the difficult decision to resign from his position in protest of restrictive policies that prevented him from providing students with diverse and inclusive literature. His resignation was a stand against the growing trend of book bans and censorship — a reflection of his commitment to intellectual freedom and educational integrity.
Good’s actions embodied the very principles Democrats often claim to champion: civil liberties, educational equity, and the courage to stand up to oppressive systems.
So we are left to ask: Did we miss an opportunity to lead with our values?
The Question Still Stands: Who Are We Protecting?
At the end of the day, we have to ask:
Who are we protecting here?
Because it’s not the trans community.
It’s not the voters.
It’s not the future of the Democratic Party.
The only people being protected right now are the same small group of insiders protecting each other from accountability.
That might be enough for them. But it won’t be enough for the people who are watching.
It won’t be enough for the people who deserve better.
So here’s my offer:
Fix the process. Build the infrastructure. Lead with values. Or step aside.
Because we’re done waiting.
