“Gays for Trump” Riot As Trump’s Policies Harm LGBTQ Community

On January 6, rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, many falsely believing Donald Trump to be the winner of the 2020 election. Among the various MAGA signs, anti-semitic slogans, and alt-right emblems and memorabilia, were rainbow flags and signs that read “Gays for Trump.”

While Trump made promises to protect the LGBTQ community in 2016, the actions and statements of his administration have demonstrated the opposite. GLAAD created the “Trump Accountability Project,” a catalogue of anti-LGBTQ statements and actions that have promoted hate and discrimination towards the community. Examples of this can be seen from the beginning of Trump’s term, with the deletion of the LGBTQ community from government websites, his “License to Discriminate'' executive order, and proposed budget cuts to programs and departments that impact the community; such as a cut to research for HIV/AIDS. An article by Out Magazine notes that “40 percent of the Trump Administration’s confirmed judges have deep anti-LGBTQ+ records, including opposing same-sex marriage, LGBTQ+ protections in the workplace, and for trans people to serve openly in the military.”

According to NBC News, the Department of Health and Human Services finalized a rule, in the last week of Trump’s presidency, permitting faith-based social service providers that receive government funds to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity. With this rule in place, LGBTQ people can be denied the right to adopt children This is one of many pushes for religious freedom that Trump has administered that has taken rights away from the LGBTQ+ community.