LGBT movement back on defense as Trump era arrives

[DonViejo]

December 14, 2016 at 4:18 pm EST | by Chris Johnson

In anticipation of the upcoming Trump administration, at least one LGBT advocate insists the movement will continue to pursue its full agenda, although the election results have dampened expectations and sent advocacy groups back into a defensive posture.

The surprise win by Donald Trump dashed plans for continued LGBT progress under Hillary Clinton. With unified Republican government at the federal level and unprecedented Republican control of state legislatures, LGBT rights may take a few steps back.

Stacey Long Simmons, director of public policy and government affairs for the National LGBTQ Task Force, nonetheless struck an optimistic tone, citing recent wins for the LGBT movement. “I believe that combined momentum-slash-angst that our community may be feeling because of how vehemently anti-LGBTQ the Trump administration is shaping up to be could actually put us in a position to come together in alignment with other movements that are similarly dealing with high rates of profiling, hate crime attacks, assaults on our personhood and violations of privacy,” Long Simmons said.

Prior to the election, the Human Rights Campaign had reportedly prepared a memo calling for the next administration to enhance LGBT rights further after progress under the Obama administration. Among the requests was the appointment of the first-ever openly LGBT Cabinet member and eliminating the ban on HIV-positive people serving in the U.S. armed forces. It’s hard to see how that could happen under the Trump administration.

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http://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/12/14/lgbt-movement-on-defense-as-trump-era-arrives/

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Yes, we are back on the defensive.

The only difference this time is we will have less people who actually support us. Well, maybe not entirely true, more like those who never really supported us, despite flying their rainbow flags and claiming "'kudos" for advances we made, will be silent, saving their outrage for the violation of rights of others, more important than the GLBT people. One thing is for certain, we will find out who are true allies are and who are the fair-weathered friends. It is easy to stand up for the "right thing" when there is no opposition or one is in the majority, quite another to actually stand up when one has something to lose or faces pushback.

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." MLK, Jr.

We are already facing that silence.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. My marriage is on the line.

While the incoming president-elect has said it is a "done deal", so is "Roe V. Wade" and, yet, he seems to have no problem in wanting to see it overturned. So while it may not be on his agenda, it is on the agenda of his VP and many, many members of his cabinet. The big difference is many people are paying attention to the attacks against a woman's right to choose, though, it has lost some steam as of late, but very few are acknowledging the outright attacks on the GLBT, not to mention the side projects many states are lining up in order to fuck with our lives.

I just celebrated my second LEGAL anniversary, and I do wonder if it will be one of the last ones I get to celebrate. If the recent lawsuits are in indication, a challenge to the SC decision is just a few months away.

How many families will this disrupt? How many people will even speak out when these attacks are ramped up and start going to court?

[Bettie]

3. Many of us will still support you

And truly believe you are important to society at large.

As are immigrants, women, and a whole host of other people who they will try to shut out and shut up.

We all need to work together to ensure that we all keep our rights.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Our rights will slowly erode.

It will start with EOs from President Obama being reversed. Local laws will get passed leading to state laws, some lawsuits will emerge, most will likely die in the states, and suddenly it will look like the mid-90's, then after another year, it will be the mid-80's. It won't matter that people never learned their history of the GLBT struggle, they will get to watch it all over again.

[resistance2016]

5. "Back" on defense?

As if LGBT people were never NOT on the defense...