06/30/2026
An informative and robust conversation with Abdul El-Sayed and Pride Source Media
Q: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told Pride Source earlier this year that she's noticed formerly vocal allies going quiet on trans issues. You seem to be taking the opposite approach.
A: “One of my trans endorsers told me something I'm never going to forget — it's important for us always to be inclusive, and if they're taking aim, don't show them where to fire. There's a reason that if I'm asked, I always say that I support trans rights because I believe in all rights. I want folks to see their own rights in the plight of a trans person who's being discriminated against.
The real question here isn't about whether or not we can discriminate against one group or another. The real question is whether or not we want a government that can discriminate against anybody at all. A government that is told that it's allowed to discriminate against some people and not others will eventually discriminate against any and all people for whatever reasons it chooses. We are all in the fight for an America whose government does not discriminate against any of us.
I say that as somebody who puts my face on the ground many times a day praying in the way that I pray as a Muslim. Not everybody has to understand why I do that, but I damn well expect that they're going to stand up for my right to do it. And similarly, you might not understand somebody else — but you work for their rights. We cannot build the relationships and love and community we need when government is weaponizing against any of us.”
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed isn't running a typical Senate campaign, and at this point it's hard to miss. The physician and former health director for both the city
