The ‘anti-LGBTQ+’ policies of Trump were strongly criticized by Sarah McBride, a politician and activist who serves as the representative for Delaware in Congress.
The first transgender person elected to the US Congress, Sarah McBride, has publicly opposed a number of “anti-LGBTQ+” laws that President Donald Trump recently signed into law.
The politician made a strong statement on the future of America while making fun of LGBTQ+ people living “rent free in the minds” of Republican officials in Trump’s government during his speech at the HRC Greater New York Dinner on Monday, February 3.
Trump’s current LGBTQ+ policy
Trump has issued a number of executive orders since taking office, the first of which declared that the government would only recognize “two genders”—male and female—and that these were “not changeable.”
Along with “defending women from gender ideology extremism,” the decree also promises to stop “wasteful” government programs that support diversity and inclusivity.
The 1965 Equal Employment Opportunity Act, which had previously pushed for chances for women, members of racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups in society, was also repealed by Trump in the days that followed.
Also, transgender and non-binary people no longer have the option to indicate their gender as ‘X’ on passport application forms, according to Marco Rubio, the father of five and recently named Secretary of State.
The Department of State also prohibited consular posts from flying any flag that has anything other than the official U.S. flag, such as the Black Lives Matter and Gay Pride flags.
Trump signed an executive order last week to prevent “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children.
He also announced plans to deny federal subsidies to schools that permit transgender athletes to compete on women’s sport teams, and yesterday, February 5, he put into effect a new piece of legislation that prohibits such athletes.
Sarah McBride raises her voice
McBride, who last month became the first transgender person to be sworn into Congress and took an oath in Washington, D.C., has expressed strong opinions on Trump’s new policy.
Earlier this week, the 34-year-old Delaware lawmaker talked about her goal of saving the lives of LGBTQ+ Americans while standing at a stage at an HRC Greater New York Dinner.
“I enter Congress at a moment of uncertainty and fear for so many in our country – a time that will test our Constitution, our progress, and our own very compassion,” she said.
“This new administration has redirected federal resources to target transgender individuals in less than two weeks during a time of both home and international crises.
“From day one, they have taken steps to require the forced outing of transgender people with government documents and records.”
“They’re violating parental rights by putting the government in between patients, parents, and providers in order to harm trans young people,” McBride said, referring to Trump’s specific plans.
“They’re purging patriotic transgender service members who have met the same standards as their colleagues, who have dedicated their lives to something that is antithetical to this president – selfless public service.”
“Across the federal government, he has deputized Republican politicians and appointees to be bathroom police, preventing transgender people from using federal restrooms they were using without any problems,” she added.
“As we say then, these bans open up all women to harassment and potentially gross and invasive inspections.”
“We live rent-free in their minds; they’re obsessed.”
“They’re censoring content and freezing funding to make sure words like ‘transgender’ aren’t included in any federally funded program,” McBride continued, detailing additional changes the next Trump government will enact.
They’re saying that if schools dare to accept LGBTQ pupils, they will destroy public education. All inside a fortnight.
After that, the politician said, “They’re obsessed – we live rent free in their minds.”
McBride urged the audience to “fight smarter” when discussing the future of the United States.
“We must be honest about the necessity of going back to the fundamentals of extending invitations to people in order to transform their perspectives and open their hearts.
“We must face the fact that there are individuals outside of this room, this city, and this state. This work is about meeting people where they are, not trying to pitch them.
She continued by pleading: “We must expose the truth that they are exploiting transgender individuals as pawns in a larger scheme to destroy the federal government, all at the expense of working people, in order to enrich Donald Trump’s closest pals.
“I’m not going to be a pawn. I will not grant them such authority, and I will not allow them to escape punishment.