Anderson Cooper Faces Backlash After Misgendering Activist at Bernie Sanders Town Hall

During a CNN town hall event hosted by Anderson Cooper with Senator Bernie Sanders, a moment of controversy unfolded when Cooper misgendered a Democratic activist, sparking widespread discussion about gender identity, media responsibility, and the Democratic Party’s challenges with young male voters. The incident, which involved civil rights attorney Grace Thomas correcting Cooper on their pronouns, quickly went viral, drawing reactions from both conservative commentators and some Republicans who unexpectedly defended the CNN anchor. This article delves into the details of the incident, the broader context of the Democratic Party’s struggles with young men, and the polarized reactions that highlight deeper societal divides over gender and politics.

The Incident: A Pronoun Mishap on Live Television

The town hall, moderated by Anderson Cooper, was intended to provide a platform for Senator Bernie Sanders to address pressing issues facing the Democratic Party. As part of the event, Cooper introduced Grace Thomas, a local civil rights attorney and Democrat, to ask a question. “She’s a local civil rights attorney, she’s a Democrat, Grace?” Cooper said, preparing the audience for Thomas’s question to Sanders. However, Thomas immediately interjected, correcting Cooper’s use of pronouns. “It’s they/them pronouns, actually,” Thomas stated, indicating their non-binary identity. Cooper, caught off guard, responded with a brief “Oh” before Thomas proceeded with their question.

Thomas’s question focused on a critical issue for the Democratic Party: why young male voters across various demographics are increasingly turning away from the party. The irony of the moment was not lost on observers, as the very correction of pronouns became a focal point for discussions about the party’s struggles with this demographic. The exchange was captured on video and quickly spread across social media platforms, particularly on X, where it ignited a firestorm of reactions ranging from mockery to unexpected sympathy for Cooper.

Social Media Reactions: A Polarized Response

The incident became a viral moment, with clips circulating widely on X and prompting a range of responses. Conservative commentators seized the opportunity to criticize what they see as the left’s obsession with identity politics. One user on X wrote, “The best part is that right after scolding Anderson Cooper for not calling her ‘they,’ she asks a question about why Democrats are losing men,” suggesting that Thomas’s focus on pronouns might exemplify the reasons young men are drifting away from the party. Another user echoed this sentiment, stating, “Anderson Cooper just misgendered a civil rights attorney. They are not serious. Keep on putting the pronoun police on camera, we will win every election.” This reaction reflects a broader conservative narrative that progressive stances on gender identity are alienating voters and contributing to electoral losses.

Political commentator Gunther Eagleman amplified this perspective, posting on X, “Anderson Cooper just misgendered a Civil Rights attorney. They are not serious. Keep on putting the pronoun police on camera, we will win every election.” Eagleman’s comment underscores a belief among some conservatives that highlighting such incidents can be politically advantageous, framing the left as overly focused on identity issues at the expense of broader voter concerns. The sarcastic tone of these responses, often adopting a faux-offended stance, mirrors a rhetorical strategy to mock progressive sensitivities around gender identity.

Surprisingly, some Republicans expressed sympathy for Cooper, viewing Thomas’s correction as unnecessarily harsh. One user on X wrote, “I’m going to defend Anderson Cooper here. That’s something I don’t often do. But it was entirely reasonable for him to assume that this woman would naturally use female pronouns. Her rebuke of him was a snarky, gotcha moment. Who else found that highly irritating?” This perspective suggests that Cooper’s mistake was an honest one, rooted in traditional assumptions about gender, and that Thomas’s response was perceived as performative or overly confrontational. The user’s defense of Cooper, despite acknowledging their usual disagreement with the anchor, highlights the complexity of the incident, which transcended typical partisan lines.

The Democratic Party’s Gender Gap: A Growing Concern

Thomas’s question to Sanders about the Democratic Party’s loss of young male voters was particularly poignant given the context of the pronoun correction. The issue of young men shifting away from the Democratic Party has been a significant concern for party strategists, especially following the presidential election. The Republicans secured a substantial majority of men under 30, a stark contrast to previous election cycles. This shift represents a major turnaround from when Joe Biden held a significant lead among young male voters over Donald Trump.

The gender gap among young voters has been attributed to several factors, including the Democratic Party’s progressive stances on social issues like gender identity and transgender rights. Critics argue that the party’s emphasis on these topics, such as supporting trans women in female sports and hormone treatments for children identifying as trans, has alienated a significant portion of male voters. This sentiment was echoed in the reactions to the Cooper incident, with some commentators suggesting that Thomas’s focus on pronouns might exemplify why young men feel disconnected from the party. One observer noted, “It is exactly because of people like her and their behavior that people are turned off and turned away from the Democratic Party,” pointing to a perceived overemphasis on identity politics as a driving factor.

The broader political landscape provides additional context for this shift. Donald Trump’s campaign successfully leveraged cultural issues, including opposition to progressive gender policies, to appeal to young male voters. Some Democrats, recognizing the unpopularity of these stances even within their own party, have begun to pivot toward more centrist positions. For example, California Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly stated that it is unfair for trans women to compete against biological females in certain sports, signaling a potential shift in the party’s approach to gender-related issues.

Media Responsibility and the Challenges of Gender Identity

The incident also raises questions about the media’s role in navigating evolving social norms around gender identity, particularly in live broadcast settings. Anderson Cooper, a seasoned journalist known for his progressive leanings, found himself in an awkward position, highlighting the challenges even well-intentioned media figures face. The concept of non-binary gender, often associated with they/them pronouns, has become a hot-button issue in American politics, despite its historical roots dating back centuries. Cooper’s mistake, while unintentional, underscores the difficulty of adapting to these norms on the fly, especially under the pressure of a live audience and a national broadcast.

CNN has not issued an official response to the incident, but the viral nature of the moment has fueled broader discussions about media handling of gender identity. Some argue that Cooper’s error was a minor slip, easily corrected, and that the backlash—particularly from conservatives—was overblown and opportunistic. Others, however, see the incident as emblematic of deeper tensions within the Democratic Party and its relationship with the media. The sarcastic calls for Cooper’s resignation, such as podcast host Riley Gaines’s comment, “Calling for Anderson Cooper’s immediate resignation for believing what his eyes were telling him he saw,” reflect a broader conservative critique of progressive “woke” culture, which they argue prioritizes political correctness over practicality.

Broader Implications: Identity Politics and Electoral