President Trump has now signed 55 executive orders, many of which the Human Rights Campaign says “target the LGBTQ+ community.”
These executive orders have resulted in several changes to LGBTQIA+ protection laws nationwide. This includes prohibiting transgender girls from participating in school sports, encouraging criminal prosecutions of teachers for promoting LGBTQ+ students, directing agencies to prevent gender-affirming care for those under 19, reinstating the Global Gag Rule (blocking funding for all reproductive health care organizations), reinstating and expanding the military ban on transgender service members (banning the currently serving transgender service members full access to healthcare), and banning any sex that was not assigned at birth from being used on passports.
55% out of a poll of 102 students said they knew about all of the changes, and 61% disagreed with all of them. Of the 29% who agreed, some felt there are only two genders while most cited protecting female sports.
“The average male is genetically constructed stronger than a female, and nobody can argue with genetics,” senior Kaden Baker said.
Those who disagree with the changes feel they will not protect biological women.
“Restrictions that limit the freedoms of consenting people take away from the idea of true American freedom and are often rooted in hate and hypocrisy, shamefully done under the guise of ‘protection’. I think what many people don’t understand is that it won’t stop here– transgender people just happen to be the first target,” Nate White, senior, said.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, these orders are likely to impact women’s rights and may harm the feminist movement’s advancements. These orders also ignore the existence of intersex people, those born with varying sexual characteristics that cannot be defined as male or female.
Many LGBTQIA+ people are worried. The Trevor Project, a help hotline for suicide prevention in the LGBTQ+ community, received a 33% increase in calls on Trump’s inauguration day.
“Trump’s executive orders are significantly impacting individuals’ human rights and freedoms,” Olivia Kubiak, (Vee), senior, said.
79.65% of LGBTQIA+ students said they are afraid for their futures because of these executive orders.
“I am incredibly fearful for the rights of myself and my friends within the LGBTQIA+ community; I am scared for my future and how safe I am in my own country,” Tommy Renzas, junior, said.
Several people, with the aid of PFLAG National, have now sued President Trump over his order restricting access to gender-affirming care.
“None of these executive orders are constitutional or ethical. This could cause a ton of trans youth and trans women specifically to be in danger. These executive orders are not to make cis women “safer”, nor is it for the greater good of America. It is simply Trump acting on his bigoted beliefs, not caring if it’s constitutional or not,” Avelinda Lugo, sophomore, said.
The law affects teachers as well, compelling them to go against student wishes and tell parents and guardians if students ask to be called by a different name or pronouns or has come out to others in the school. LGBTQ+ students are worried for their safety even within schools.
“The harm and psychic pain that occurs in the minds and anxieties of many students here is upsetting. I am afraid that they feel less safe than they otherwise might as it is now “ok” to discriminate and treat those in the LGBTQIA+ community as ‘less than’ or ‘wrong’,” Jeffery Jett, English teacher, said.
On January 29, President Trump issued an executive order targeting “indoctrination” in schools. Teachers are now restricted in their ability to teach about important gay historical figures like Harvey Milk, Frida Kahlo, or the gay rights movements and Stonewall. Some fear these restrictions on what can be taught could soon extend to banning GSAs nationwide.
“I cannot state for certain if our GSA could continue as constituted, though I will still be an advocate for all students in my classroom, especially those of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Jett said.
