A few weeks ago, my partners relative sent her a video on how President Trump is the most pro-gay president ever. I will link the video here: https://youtu.be/gvpkr3x5AbM
I responded to the video and my partner sent it off to her relative and we had an exchange about LGBTQ issues. This was my response:
The video you sent was basically about Biden and his history on LGBTQ rights. Other than Trump “saying” he was for gay rights there are no facts presented in the video. Just some token gay guys opinions. I know more about Biden's history with LGBTQ rights than I do about Donald Trumps, based on the video. Other than appointing a gay ambassador and “saying” he wants to eliminate laws that criminalize being gay, what has he actually done to help the LGBTQ community?
Here are some of Trumps policies on LGBTQ issues.
In 2019 Trump claimed in his Union speech that he was going to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030. Sounds super promising! Why the late date, though? In 2018 the United Nations said they want to eradicate HIV/AIDS around the WORLD by 2025. That means the hardest hit regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Why wouldn’t the United States be able to do this before 2030? Hollow promise.
Trumps claim to fight to end the criminalization for homosexuality also isn’t what it seems. Under the Obama administration since his policies are under more scrutiny than Trumps, the United States took a leadership role on the concept that LGBTQ people are entitled to the same rights as everyone else. Trump says he wants to crack down on countries that criminalize homosexuality. However, he has only cracked down on countries the United States would consider “enemies”. Countries like Iran while the Trump administration seems cozy with places like Poland, Hungary and Brazil… not to mention Russia. Trump administration has yet to crack down on countries he seems okay with.
In 2017 the Trump administration rolled back an Obama era protection that directed schools to protect trans students from discrimination. I am not here to argue on whether trans people exist. They are part of the LGBTQ community so an attack on them is an attack on the whole community. Also, in 2017 the Trump administration announced that he would order the military to ban trans people from serving in the military. That meant kicking out already “out” trans people.
In 2018 the Trump administration went after trans prisoners which has them housed based on their biological sex and only based on gender identity in “rare” cases. Before it was based on gender identity and would be accommodated unless there was a specific reason not to, like the crime committed. This is so dangerous and puts so many trans people at risk. Trans people are at a higher risk of discrimination in everyday life not to mention more likely to be assaulted for being Trans. About a month ago he proposed a rule allowing homeless shelters to turn away trans people or house them according to their birth assigned sex. While “passable” trans gendered people may be able to skirt this, it puts those who do not conform to the societal image of what gender looks like. A trans-woman being housed in a male facility? Yeah.
The Trump administration has also attacked the LGBTQ protections in the Affordable care act… aka Obamacare. May 2019 the rule would reverse and Obama era protection, meaning doctors and hospitals could discriminate against trans and other LGBTQ people. In 2010 a study showed that Trans people who sought medical help one in five were turned away. The Obama era policy that Trump reversed made it illegal for doctors to discriminate against LGBTQ people. It would even allow hospitals to condition treatment based on stopping sex hormone treatments. It would allow insurance companies to put blanket bans on transitional related care. These policies seem counterproductive to his claim that his administration will eradicate HIV/AIDS by 2030. How? Because how do you expect to address health disparities in a particular community, if that community is afraid to be harassed or discriminated against. People seeking medical care is kind of important when preventing the spread of HIV.
Trump administration proposed a rule that would allow adoption agencies to deny LGBTQ people from fostering or adopting. Also proposed a plan to cut information collection on the sexual orientation of foster children and foster or adoptive parents. This prevents data collection on LGBTQ which could affect their care while in foster care. Could open them up to more discrimination while already in foster care.
Trump signed an executive order that would make it even harder for LGBTQ people from very hostile anti LGBTQ regimes to seek asylum. Noticeably quiet and very chummy with the Polish President who pledged to ban same sex marriages, prevent same sex couples from adopting and ban education on LGBTQ issues. Has yet to condemn Brunei which imposes a law that punishes LGBTQ people in barbaric ways, including death by stoning, torture and whipping. Even the Daily Beast which heavily right winged seems to think the Trump administration is doing little to uphold their claim to end criminalization of homosexuals.
He appointed Jeff Freaking Sessions. Who has a long, long, long history of anti LGBTQ actions and even supports criminalizing homosexuality. He has appointed anti LGBTQ judges: Gorsuch, Kavanaugh both have anti LGBTQ records.
I mean I guess he is the most pro-gay president if all that qualifies him is him saying things on National TV and then doing the opposite. I literally googled Trumps pro-gay policies and did not find one non opinion piece about his policies. Opinions are not facts. Sorry but that video is garbage, it does not present facts. Other than Biden's unfortunate history but it also talked about his evolution.
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/06/11/republican-party-issues-brief-on-trumps-lgbtq-achievements-seriously/?fbclid=IwAR3JoVQlvZ7i955QRgoArNQ0GunR9h3d13FkqU88IgCKzfIam5dJWN3-0v8
https://www.hrc.org/news/the-list-of-trumps-unprecedented-steps-for-the-lgbtq-community?fbclid=IwAR1bbN4aOAbEpPok5XHkUK0Axc73PeLE5dW4fLK_5DC1gxhChIHK1x_igAM
https://www.thedailybeast.com/pompeo-and-trump-admin-silent-on-bruneis-law-to-stone-lgbt-people-to-death?fbclid=IwAR2XfdhZXjYxBByyRdb_hDATiImFdzNt62WPv0dCRdTR-b2pc2V7KG9bSnY
