President Donald Trump’s executive orders target LGBTQ community, sparks concern
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed multiple executive orders targeting the LGBTQ community. This includes limiting access to gender-affirming care, barring transgender individuals from serving openly in the military, enforcing a binary gender framework and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs within federal agencies.
Veronica Ambrose, a community organizer at MoPride, said that while the DEI executive order does not directly impact her organization, it could restrict the grants it’s eligible to apply for in the future.
“MoPride is always trying to make our community as diverse and equitable as possible,” Ambrose said.
She noted that while she doubts nonprofits will bend to the order, she is concerned about the fate of programs that rely on direct federal funding.
Roman Scanlon, executive director of the Cal Pride Center of Stanislaus County, said his organization primarily receives state funding, not federal, so it won’t be directly impacted by the executive order.
However, CalPride collaborates with various community organizations, meaning the impact of federal funding cuts could extend beyond DEI-focused groups. Scanlon explained that because grants and funding streams are interconnected, cuts in one area can ripple across the entire community, affecting many other groups as well.
He also expressed concern that Trump’s declaration recognizing only two sexes — male and female — could affect healthcare access, as well as travel, employment and safety for his peers. He noted that individuals may now be forced to out themselves as transgender, which could make them more vulnerable to discrimination and pose challenges in finding jobs and housing.
“We’re going to be seeing a lot of higher cases of discrimination and hate crimes because of this,” Scanlon said.
Trump also signed an order to restrict gender-affirming care for minors.
“Gender-affirming care is medically necessary care for TGI [Transgender, Gender-nonconforming/nonbinary, Intersex] youth. If this care is stripped away, we would be setting up TGI youth for mental health distress and increased cases of depression, anxiety and self-harm,” said Dannie Ceseña, director of the CA LGBTQ Health & Human Services Network, in a statement.
State AG Bonta promises protections
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, however, put out a statement saying that families seeking gender-affirming care, and the doctors and staff who provide it, are protected under state laws including the Transgender, Gender Diverse and Intersex Inclusive Care Act and that “the president’s order does not change that.”
“My office and I will continue to defend California law and stand up for the rights of all who seek this critical, lifesaving care and the people who support them,” Bonta’s statement reads. “We are reviewing the president’s executive order and monitoring its implementation. Rest assured, the California Department of Justice will continue to stand up for our people and our values.”
Scanlon said that, thankfully, the Central Valley is supportive of the LGBTQ community, including law enforcement, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office and workforce development agencies.
“I believe that we have a very strong community here in the Central Valley that’s gearing up more so now than ever before. So it’s anything this is making our community stronger, more respected, and we’re getting more back up this time than we ever had before,” Scanlon said.
Scanlon has been assisting two transgender refugees from Syria and Iraq in finding housing after the State Department informed support service agencies that funding for previously vetted refugees had been discontinued. He was able to find temporary housing for one of them, but just for 30 days.
He shared that the two refugees feel abandoned by the system.
“They had this promise of freedom and safe place to live with a community and a country that accepted them,” Scanlon said. But this promise of the American dream has been “squashed” by the Trump administration’s actions, he said.
If the refugees were to return to their home countries, they could face arrest or even death due to their transgender identities. Scanlon is also struggling to find an Arabic translator willing to assist transgender individuals. He encourages anyone interested in helping to reach out via email at roman@calpride.org.
