Donald Trump’s win brings big questions to LGBTQ+ rights, as the group is worried about the changes his policies could bring, especially now that he has a GOP-majority Senate as strong support.
Renna, communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, said there is a lot of apprehension and fear. Renna mentioned that this is not going to be like his first administration as he has a different group of people now, and he believes that he is prepared to do crucial harm to democracy and the LGBTQ community.
Trump’s anti-trans speeches & ads
It has to be recalled that during his campaign, he had made gender identity issues a focal point. He shared messages that were often against trans rights, not only in his speeches but also in his ads and policies. Republicans have spent about $215 million on anti-trans ads during the election. Well, his negative comments on LGBTQ+ Americans are not new. Even in his first term as president, he had introduced several policies that aimed to remove community protections.
In the campaign, his featured ad said, “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.”
His Roadmap to “Make America Great Again”
On his official site, he had 20-point plan, called Agenda 47, in which he promised to limit LGBTQ+ rights, including plans to prevent trans women from participating in women’s sports and stopping ‘federal funding for any school pushing…radical gender ideology.’
Transgender persons in the military
During his first term, he had directed the Department of Defense to reverse a 2016 policy, which permitted transgender individual to serve the military openly, blaming the cost of gender-affirming surgeries. This decision led to a slew of lawsuits against the Administration. Later, in 2021, this ban was overturned by the Biden administration, but experts anticipate that Trump might reinstate it.
Restrictions at healthcare
In recent years, several states have passed laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-nonconforming minors. In August, the Human Rights Campaign mentioned that 26 states had such bans, which affected 39% of transgender youth. Trump has said that his administration would support these bans and try to stop gender-affirming care for teens in the country. This would make it challenging for youth with gender dysphoria to access what many medical experts believe is essential and life-saving treatment.
While the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has already taken several states to court over the ban, it has announced that it would continue the same if a second Trump Administration further restrict this care.”
Limit support for trans youth in schools and punish teachers who support them
In his website, he plans to investigate and cut funding for schools and programs “pushing Critical Race Theory or gender ideology on our children.” He also wants to introduce a federal “Parental Bill of Rights” similar to laws in several states that would require teachers and administrators to inform parents if their child wants to change their pronouns and this also lets parents to decide how gender is taught in school. Many states already have these laws, which are facing lawsuits, and this might continue if a similar federal law is passed.
In an August interview with Florida-based group Moms 4 Liberty, Trump had said, “The transgender thing is incredible. Think of it: Your kid goes to school and comes home a few days later with an operation. The school decides what’s going to happen with your child.” The claim was eventually proven to be false.
Redefine gender at the federal level
Trump plans to redefine gender at the federal level, recognising only male-assigned men and female-assigned women, which goes against the current medical consensus that views gender as separate from the sex assigned at birth. These definitions are important for understanding anti-discrimination laws. If gender is limited to only male or female then federal projections like Title IX could no longer be used to protect trans people from discrimination. He also intends to bring back from his first term that allowed federal housing programs to discriminate against homeless trans people seeking shelter in sex-segregated shelters. These rules might force trans women into men’s shelters or deny them access entirely.
Trans and queer migrants and refugees
During his campaign, Trump claimed Kamala Harris would support providing “transgender operations to illegal aliens in prison,” referring to her belief that the federal government should provide gender-affirming health care to migrants held in detention without being charged.
Apart from denying trans migrants the care they needed in prison, his administration plans for mass deportation that will put trans and queer people’s health and safety at risk in many ways.
Many migrants are trans and queer people who escaped violence and discrimination in their home countries. If they are deported, they might be sent to dangerous detention centres, where they might further face risk of abuse, assault and violence.
Elon Musk’s estranged trans daughter plans to leave the US
After Trump’s victory, Elon Musk’s estranged trans daughter, Vivian Wilson, expressed her intention to leave the US, saying she doesn’t see a future in the country.
Vivian Wilson, who is one of six kids with Musk’s first wife, Justine Wilson, legally changed her name in 2022 and sought gender-affirming care. Her father said she is “dead” to him and blamed the “woke mind virus” for her decision.
