The LGBT community is in limbo right now, in terms of what to expect when Donald J.Trump takes his seat in the Oval Office this 2017. Many people forecast hostility from Trump towards civil-rights goals, given his past statements expressing the desire to change some of the political civil-rights gains achieved in the past eight years.
In response to Trump’s victory which was announced Wednesday, November 9th, the nation’s largest LGBT Rights Organization the “Human Rights Campaign” reported a flurry of phone calls from community members. The nature of the calls were inquiries on how Trump’s Presidency would affect the current LGBT landscape. Many callers were described as being “frightened” for their rights- including gay marriage and military exclusion of gay or lesbian service members.
“This is a devastating loss for our community,”Jay Brown, the spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement. “It is something a lot of folks are still trying to wrap their heads around.”
In addition, Rea Carey, the executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force referred to Trump’s public statements on LGBT issues “confusing and conflicting.”
Trump has employed gay people in several of his businesses, and surprised some of his fellow Republicans by saying that transgender individuals should “use the bathroom they feel is appropriate.” During his campaign, he even paraded the gay flag onstage, in an attempt to exemplify himself as gay-friendly.
The bottom line is, Trump has publicly stated his intention to nullify all of President Obama’s executive orders. One major order would ban anti-LGBT discrimination by federal contractors. Another order would reduce the protection of transgender student rights.
What are your thoughts on Trump and this 2017? What ideas do you have to find a common ground for civil rights and some of Trump’s opposing views? There’s four years ahead, but if we band together and support a community, they don’t have to be long and dreary. Let us remember why we are who we are, and what we stand for.
