The White House yesterday sought to distance itself from rumors of an impending anti-LGBT Executive order, pledging to continue to enforce a 2014 Obama Administration order that enshrines nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people when seeking federal employment.
The New York Times reported yesterday that the White House said the president was proud to embrace gay rights.
“President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of L.G.B.T.Q. rights, just as he was throughout the election,” the statement said. “The president is proud to have been the first ever G.O.P. nominee to mention the L.G.B.T.Q. community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression.”
However advocacy groups were not convinced with the ACLU’s LGBT Project Director James Esseks issuing the following statement: “Actions speak louder than words. President Trump has surrounded himself with a vice president and cabinet members who have repeatedly sought to sanction discrimination against LGBT people in the name of religion, and nothing in the White House’s statement makes clear that these efforts are behind us. LGBT immigrants, refugees, Muslims, and women have already come under attack by this administration. If Donald Trump is serious about being an ally to the LGBT community, it starts with abandoning an agenda driven by fear and prejudice.”
Rea Carey, executive director, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund was skeptical saying, “Donald Trump is no friend to the LGBTQ community — regardless of what he or the White House leakers may be suggesting in the media. We need look no further than his extremist anti-LGBTQ Vice President Pence and Cabinet picks to see the real agenda at play. The truth is he has been playing deeply harmful games with LGBTQ people’s lives throughout his campaign and every single day of his days-old presidency. The problem for him is we are everywhere — so when he signs executive orders designed to demonize and dehumanize anyone — Muslims, women, refugees, people of color, immigrants — he is attacking us all. President Trump does not get bonus points for discriminating a little. Discrimination is discrimination. Racism is racism. Islamophobia is Islamophobia. Through our resistance, and the resistance of millions of people in every part of the nation, we will not stand by as he signs wave after wave of discriminatory policies with his pen. Not on our watch, not in our name.”
