A local LGBT advocacy organization will host a march this week protesting policies from President Donald Trump’s administration.
The Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club’s March Against Discrimination will specifically call out Trump’s recent executive orders and reports of an alleged future order discriminating against LGBT people.
“Unlike President Trump, we know we are stronger when everyone has an equal shot at the American Dream,” Liberty City Co-Chair Anne Wakabayashi said in a statement. “He doesn’t believe that diversity makes us better, so we want to show him exactly how great we can be when all Americans stand together.”
Since his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order that would prevent “sanctuary cities” such as Philadelphia from receiving federal funding if they did not comply with federal immigration-enforcement orders. Additionally, he signed an order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries and issued a controversial statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day in which he omitted mentions of Jews killed. He also has announced plans to move ahead with the construction of a wall on the Mexico border.
A separate controversy occurred Monday when multiple sources told LGBTQ Nation and Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin that Trump would sign an executive order relating to religious freedom. The alleged order would feature a loophole allowing discrimination against LGBT people in regard to employment and services.
However, the White House released a statement Tuesday stating Trump would not roll back the protections of LGBT people presented under the former president Barack Obama’s administration in 2014.
“President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of L.G.B.T.Q. rights, just as he was throughout the election,” the statement read.
In a statement, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin called it a “low bar” for Trump claiming ally status.
“If he’s truly an ally, then why did he choose as his vice president a person who passed one of the most anti-LGBTQ laws in the nation, or an attorney general nominee who says the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling was an ‘effort to secularize, by force and intimidation?’” Griffin said. “Donald Trump talks a big game on his support for LGBTQ people, yet he has filled his cabinet with people who have literally spent their careers working to demonize us and limit our rights.”
Liberty City Co-Chair Malcolm Kenyatta echoed Griffin’s statement.
“This is the most hateful and divisive administration this country has ever seen,” Liberty City Co-Chair Malcolm Kenyatta said in a statement. “Donald Trump has a dark and twisted view of America that sees our diversity as a weakness instead of a strength. Intersectionality is the only way forward and this march will make clear we all stand together against discrimination in any form. We don’t want this hateful future for our children and won’t accept it.”
Co-sponsors for the event include Garden State Equality, the Philadelphia chapter of Black Lives Matter, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Equality Pennsylvania, the southeast chapter of the Women’s March, Philly For Change, GALAEI, Jewish Voice for Peace, 215 People’s Alliance, Reclaim Philly, the Philadelphia chapter for the National Organization for Women, BMe, Philadelphia Black Pride and the office of State Rep. Brian Sims.
The March Against Discrimination will begin 6 p.m. Feb. 2 in front of FOX 29, Fourth and Market streets, and march toward City Hall.