Transgenderism

In the 2026 Oregon U.S. Senate race, Republican candidate Russell (Russ) McAlmond is challenging incumbent Democrat Jeff Merkley. A U.S. Marine veteran, financial advisor, and advocate for human equality through his nonprofit, McAlmond brings a distinctive philosophical perspective to the campaign.

Central to his worldview is "Ethical Individualism," a human relational philosophy he developed and outlined in his book Ethical Individualism: A Human Relational Philosophy. This framework emphasizes treating every person as a unique individual of infinite and equal value, regardless of group identities such as skin color, gender, or sexuality.

McAlmond's views on transgenderism stem directly from this principle, positioning it as a key point of contrast with Merkley, whom critics associate with support for gender-affirming medical interventions for minors, including puberty blockers and surgeries.

Ethical Individualism posits that no individual is fully defined by any single group affiliation. Instead, each person is a multifaceted being deserving of equal respect and dignity. Group-based judgments—whether positive or negative—distort human relations by creating hierarchies of value. McAlmond argues that elevating one group above others fosters division and undermines true equality. This philosophy is not about denying differences but about rejecting the idea that group membership confers superior moral authority or special status.

Applied to transgenderism, McAlmond views it not merely as personal identity but as an ideology that has been politicized and placed atop an "intersectional hierarchy." In contemporary discourse, transgender individuals are often portrayed as possessing heightened moral authority, with their experiences prioritized over those of other groups.

This elevation, McAlmond contends, violates Ethical Individualism by implying that transgender people hold greater value or insight than others. It creates an unequal playing field where certain voices are amplified while others are marginalized, harming interpersonal and societal relations.

Crucially, McAlmond's opposition to transgenderism as an ideology does not entail denying the equal value of transgender individuals. On the contrary, he asserts that his critique reinforces their equality. By opposing the ideological framework that lifts any group—including transgender people—above others, he seeks to affirm that every person, transgender or not, possesses infinite worth as an individual.

No one should be reduced to a group label, nor granted privileged status because of it. This stance echoes his broader rejection of "group judgmentalism," where collective guilt or merit is assigned based on identity.The Senate race highlights a stark policy divide on issues related to transgender youth.

Merkley, a progressive Democrat, has aligned with positions defending access to gender surgery care on minors, including opposition to bans on puberty blockers and hormone therapies for minors contested by critics concerned about long-term effects and irreversibility.

McAlmond, drawing from Ethical Individualism, likely sees policies promoting such interventions for children as part of the ideological elevation he opposes: prioritizing one group's claims in a way that overrides individual nuance and broader societal equality.

McAlmond's philosophy warns that hierarchical ideologies, even those framed as advancing justice, ultimately erode human connections. When transgenderism becomes a political litmus test granting moral superiority, it divides rather than unites.

True progress, in his view, lies in treating all as equals—free from group-based hierarchies—fostering relationships built on mutual respect for individuality.In challenging Merkley, McAlmond offers Oregon voters a vision rooted in common-sense balance and ethical clarity: a society where no group is exalted, and every individual stands on equal ground.

By opposing transgenderism as an elevating ideology, he aims not to diminish transgender people but to uphold the infinite value of all, preventing the harmful dynamics of division in pursuit of genuine human harmony. This principled stand reflects his commitment to restoring equitable representation in the Senate, prioritizing the many over narrow interests.