MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth is facing heated backlash after posting on social media that transgender people are linked to a recent mass shooting, a statement widely criticized as misleading, stigmatizing and unsupported by data.
On Thursday, Ainsworth shared a message in which he blamed public acceptance of transgender people for the deadly shooting at a Minneapolis church. Citing the shooter’s gender identity, Ainsworth asserted there is a “growing link between transgenders and mass shootings” and called on society to reject the idea that people can change genders.
Ainsworth’s remarks were immediately denounced by advocacy organizations, who called the post a political stunt that misrepresents the facts and fuels anti-trans sentiment during a time of national mourning. Advocacy groups and independent experts have repeatedly stressed that mass shootings are a complex phenomenon, with perpetrators overwhelmingly identifying as cisgender men, and that linking gender identity to violence lacks any empirical support.
Federal crime data and analyses by independent researchers show that transgender people represent an extremely small fraction of both the general public and mass shooting suspects. According to studies cited by media watchdogs and anti-violence groups, the overwhelming majority of mass shootings are committed by non-transgender individuals, and claims of a “link” between trans identity and mass violence are not borne out by the evidence.
Experts also warn that rhetoric like Ainsworth’s is not just misguided but dangerous. Multiple national reports have shown that transgender Americans already face disproportionately high rates of violence and harassment, both in daily life and during periods of public debate over their rights. Advocates argue that scapegoating trans people following tragedies further stigmatizes a vulnerable community and may contribute to increased threats, discrimination, and violence.
The comments by Ainsworth come amid renewed debate over gun violence and public safety, with many in Alabama and across the country calling instead for policy solutions that address the root causes of mass shootings, such as easy access to firearms, rather than targeting already marginalized groups.
As the fallout continues, advocates and experts roundly reject any suggestion that transgender identity is to blame, urging elected officials to focus on evidence-based solutions and to resist exploiting tragedy for political points.