First of all, to the conservative Republican, transgender people don’t really exist. They just consider us as people who are simply confused about their gender and/or are hiding other problems behind “transgenderism.”
Secondly putting together any sort of anti LGBTQ+ agenda could be a golden ticket to the top. Republicans are really energized right now and by passing this legislature they believe that they are protecting their children. They believe that exposure to people that live an LGBTQ+ lifestyle results in a higher likelihood that they will become LGBTQ+.
I think they feel invaded: “men” (trans women) are entering women’s spaces. Same sex marriages makes them feel like their marriages are polluted. The experience of this invasion is probably akin to someone desecrating a flag in front of someone that is patriotic. They believe that family values are being corroded. I would speculate that some would go as far as widening the wage gap between men and women regardless of whether it hurt their own wages to protect their families. So yes I think they feel that their rights are at stake and they will feel pressured to accept people that they genuinely don’t accept (some for religious reasons). Others tolerate the people but disagree with their lifestyles but even then they don’t exactly want to promote these “alternate” lifestyles.
I honestly think that there’s nothing that could be done to change their mind. Even if this impacts members of their own family, religion is their top priority. I think this is something that my mothers can lose sleep over. And it is likely that she loses sleep every night. Worrying about her children, that their eternities are at stake. Then she forms regrets replaying segments of life where she felt she went wrong. And that society or God or someone would blame her for any imperfections.
I think the bottom line is these Republicans—especially those supporting their leaders—believe they are doing the right thing: they are preventing others from sinful behavior. They are protecting their children. They are protecting family values. They are protecting their religious beliefs with votes.
Others might just be doing it because they can, or have some personal objection. They may just be doing it because they feel uncomfortable around LGBT+ people. Or because they have their money in the pot they don’t want their money supporting things that are against their religious beliefs. I’m not sure.
Notes:
I don’t think I can post this there. But if I ever figure out a good way to revise this maybe I’ll post something. Otherwise I’ll just leave my thoughts on the issue here.