What Does Trump's Second Term Mean for LGBTQ+ Rights, Women's Rights, and Refugees?

With Trump's re-election, new policies and executive orders are being pushed out daily. Many of those changes target LGBTQ+ individuals, women, people of color, and refugees. Below are some of his recent orders targeting these groups and what they mean:

Equal Employment Opportunities

Revoking Executive Order 12898 - Removes Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations
Revoking Executive Order 13583 - Removes Government-wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce
Revoking Executive Order 11246 - Removes Equal Employment Opportunity
Revoking Executive Order 13672 - Removes further amendments to Equal Employment Opportunity in the Federal Government and Equal Employment Opportunity
Revoking the Presidential Memorandum of October 5, 2016 - Removes the Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion in the National Security Workforce

What This Means

This removes DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility) protections from all workforces, allowing companies to turn down potential employees solely on the basis of race, sex, national orientation, sexual orientation, gender identity, and color.

Refugees and Immigrants

Revoking Executive Order 14013 - Removes Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
Indefinitely Suspending the USRAP (United States Refugee Admissions Program) - Removing the ability of refugees to be resettled into the United States for at least 90 days (or longer)
Reinstating the "Securing Our Borders" Executive Order - Reinstates Migrant Protection Protocols ("Remain in Mexico" Program), resumes construction of the border wall, and deploys additional personnel to the border
Issued Executive Order "Protecting the American People Against Invasion" - Rescinds Biden's immigration policies, broadening deportation priorities, calls for the expansion of detention and detention facilities, and hires additional ICE and Border Patrol officers
Issuing Executive Order “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship" - Attempts to end birthright citizenship

What This Means

These changes affect refugees and immigrants by pausing previously scheduled resettlement, leaves refugees vulnerable to targeted harm and unable to seek asylum, removes the permissions of protected areas (schools, churches, and hospitals) to prohibit law enforcement, and attempts to remove the protections of children born of illegal immigrants to be recognized as U.S. citizens.

LGBTQIA+ and Reproductive Rights

Issuing Executive Order "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" - Removes 'X' Gender Marker on passports and assigns gender marker to correspond with customer's biological sex at birth
Issuing Executive Order "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness" - Removes qualified transgender individuals' rights to enlist in the United States Armed Forces
Reinstating the Global Gag Rule - Blocks funding for reproductive healthcare organizations worldwide
Issuing Executive Order "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation" - Revokes access to gender affirming care to transgender individuals under 19 years of age
Removing Public Health Information from Federal Websites - Removing information about contraception, HIV, and transgender individuals

What This Means

This is an attack on transgender individuals and reproductive rights by limiting access to gender affirming care, reproductive care and information, and ability to serve in the United States Armed Forces.

Further Harmful Changes

Pulling Out of the Paris Climate Agreement
Doubling Down on Oil Drilling, Allowing the U.S. to use Private Land and Resources
Disregarding the Endangered Species Act
Removing Transgender History and Vocabulary from Federal historical website (i.e. Stonewall National Monument website)

And so much more...

What Can I Do to Help?

There are many ways you can help, and many resources to find out how. You could donate to certain causes/organizations, volunteer, or simply spreading awareness. Below are some resources I've compiled to help: