Donald Trump took the presidential office less than ten days ago and immediately began implementing executive orders, issuing memorandums, and pursuing other actions that will harm the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized people. Some of these actions require governmental or federally-funded agencies to take next steps, but others are in effect immediately.
An explainer was published by NPR News, simplifying the first 37 actions into easily digestible summaries. Multiple actions directly target trans people — including youth.
One of Trump’s day-one executive orders eliminates any federal recognition of people whose gender experiences fall within the trans umbrella. Although this could have numerous tangible ramifications, the order could make it so that trans people might not be able to obtain documents, including passports, that reflect their correct gender. Under the order, incarcerated trans people who have been housed in units that align with their gender would be forced to move into units based on sex assigned at birth and could no longer receive gender-affirming healthcare, such as HRT.
The order also prohibits the federal funding from being used to “promote gender ideology” — a vague statement that lacks clarification about how it would be implemented.
Another executive order bans trans military members from openly serving, and one of Trump’s most recent actions is an attempt to ban federal funding of gender-affirming health care for youth ages 19 and under. Best-practice medical care for trans people would no longer be available for children of military personnel, postal workers, or those insured through Medicaid and Medicare. The order calls for the removal of federal funding from medical schools, hospitals and other providers who research or provide it.
It’s unclear how much of these actions will be permitted to continue — as many are being challenged in court. But experts have said the order pertaining to trans youth could be a “de-facto” approach to ending gender-affirming health care for youth who receive care through hospital and university healthcare systems — which treat the highest number of patients and are sometimes the only providers in some areas.
On th evening of Jan. 29, Trump signed a fourth executive order partially aimed at the trans experience — blocking the use of federal funding for cirriculum, teacher training, and other resources related to “gender and equity ideology.”
What else is going on?
Although the full list of presidential actions is long and evolving, some of Trump’s targets include DEI initiatives, environmental advocacy, national research and programs pertaining to public health, immigrants and refugees and their children, birthright citizenship for Indigenous communities, abortion and reproductive rights, and various other groups of people and causes.
And he’s already been successful. Rutgers, for instance, cancelled an HBCU conference to comply with Trump’s order that institutions who receive federal funding eliminate DEI initiatives. He’s already thrown out longstanding policies and practices aimed at addressing the impact of climate change. ICE raids are ramping up — with new orders to no longer treat schools, churches, and other previous “safe zones” as off-limits.
Although some of these actions do not explicitly come after LGBTQ+ people, the community will be affected — and those who have doubly marginalized experiences, such as LGBTQ+ immigrants or those who live below the poverty line, will be most negatively impacted.
Trump has also offered approximately 2 million federal employees a generous severance option — aiming to push out workers whose values don’t align with these actions.
City and state leaders are getting to work
“I will never stop fighting for Philadelphia’s most marginalized communities, and right now I’m focused on what we can do in the city to protect immigrants and trans and nonbinary youth and adults,” said Councilmember Rue Landau — who recently hosted a public hearing about the city’s preparedness for handling what might come during the Trump administration.
“Community organizations and leaders are starting to fight back with both legal action and mobilization of rapid response networks to ensure we are transmitting accurate and up-to-date information,” she continued. “I am committed to continue supporting these efforts and fighting for our communities regardless of what Trump’s federal government tries to inflict on us.”
Landau is not alone in her dedication to marginalized people who will be affected by these and other impending actions. National organizations — including the ACLU, Lambda Legal, SAGE, and various groups that are not specifically queer-centered — have responded to these executive orders by fighting for civil rights in court.
“With the Trump administration launching attacks on transgender rights on day one, we recognize the immediate need to safeguard transgender individuals within the borders of our great commonwealth,” reads a statement released by the PA House LGBTQ+ Caucus. “Our caucus is committed to exploring and exhausting all legislative avenues — through the Fairness Act and beyond — to accomplish that critical goal.”
The Fairness Act — which would strengthen antidiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians — was passed by the state house of representatives in 2023 but the state Senate did not pass the bill, so it has not yet been made into law.
In the statement, cosigning representatives Jessica Benham, Izzy Smith-Wade-El, Andre D. Carroll, Malcolm Kenyatta, La’Tasha D. Mayes, Abigail Salisbury and Greg Scott underline that gender identity and expression “cannot be delegitimized by the stroke of a pen.”
A focus on advocacy and on bonds with the community
“We continue to talk with many government officials about adopting LGBTQ-inclusive laws,” said Jason Landau Goodman of Pennsylvania Youth Congress. “However, federal policy will often supersede whatever state or local governments do.”
“If the federal government actually withholds public education funding from specific school districts that are trans inclusive, will our local and state governments step up with the funding to close that gap for four years?” they continued. “There should be no price that local and state governments are willing to pay to be complicit in the destruction of lives.”
Landau Goodman highlighted the need to hold elected officials, business leaders and other community members who claim to be allies accountable — underlining that many LGBTQ+ people feel rightfully discarded by those who are silent right now.
Since the election results were finalized, Pennsylvania Youth Congress has hosted biweekly meetings for the Pennsylvania Coalition of LGBTQ Organizations — a network of over 50 queer-centered groups — to establish organizing protocols, develop rapid response communications, and share resources in preparation for this administration and the harm it’s causing.
“As we address the harrowing realities that have been ordered, we urge our communities to take on one issue at a time as a specific policy change is formally proposed,” Landau Goodman noted, highlighting that a recent win by SAGE and its partners against an attempt to freeze federal funding is an example of using the courts to halt some of the actions the administration wants to take.
“Through words and actions, the impacts of these executive declarations will significantly increase the experiences transgender people have with physical and sexual assault, negative health outcomes, humiliation and isolation,” they emphasized.
“Some people will not survive,” said Tyrell Brown of Galaei and Philly Pride 365. “Let’s get real here. People aren’t surviving the system as it is today. Imagine what happens when someone snatches out that safety net that we’ve been holding together with spit and Scotch tape.”
Some of the systems and organizations marginalized people rely on will be impacted — potentially disrupting much-needed services. They underlined that right now, donations and volunteering “would go a long way.”
“Business owners who support and affirm our communities should take this moment to double down on their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” Brown continued, “to ensure that in such a tenuous time that people know and feel that they are welcome and valued.”
“A message of hope is that everyone — without excuse and without exclusion — needs to put their best foot forward in an act of resistance,” Brown said, noting that communities across Philadelphia often make the space a “sanctuary city” for those who need its embrace, whether it’s formally given that title or not.
This article was updated to share information about an additional executive order and to clarify a comment made by an LGBTQ+ community leader.
