Is all as it seems in the Trump administration?

I would like to state this upfront, I am in no way making accusations about the character or moral standing of any politician or supporter of said politician. This should also not been seen as a endorsement of other political candidates I am fully aware of the past that Clinton, Obama, and many other democrats have shared.

My point here is show that a large amount of key people in the Trump administration are hostile to pro-LGBT causes. This will be shown in the list below about each possible appointee or cabinet member who had in the past made statements opposing equal treatment for LGBT americans

Mike Pence

I will not attempt to make any accusations about what Vice President Mike Pence said about the Ryan White Care Act back in 2000. “Congress should support the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act only after completion of an audit to ensure that federal dollars were no longer being given to organizations that celebrate and encourage the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus. Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.” This of course is coming from his campaign website in 2000. His claim that “Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.” May sound damning but in the context provided the “sexual behavior” he is talking about is more than likely a comment on the use of condoms and abstinence amongst the gay community than a condemnation of the gay community and homosexuality as a whole. However on the same website VP Pence also says the following under his “Strengthening The American Family” section.”Congress should oppose any effort to put gay and lesbian relationships on an equal legal status with heterosexual marriage.” As well as this comment “Congress should oppose any effort to recognize homosexual’s as a “discreet and insular minority” entitled to the protection of anti-discrimination laws similar to those extended to women and ethnic minorities.” It would seem clearly obvious that even if VP Pence was at the time and and is now not in favor of conversion therapy like many claim, he is very much against other issues that are relevant to the livelihood of LGBT people in the United States. Beyond his past transgressions, VP Pence also signed into law and supported Indiana Senate Bill 101 in March 26, 2015. This bill allowed certain legal discriminations of LGBT people under the principal of religious protection, there was an amendment in April of that year to make it less discriminatory however under the amended bill it was still possible to be fired for being Gay, Lesbian, or Transgender.

Sen. Jeff Sessions

Jeff Sessions is the soon to be Attorney General for the new administration and he has a shaky history with the LGBT community at and at worst he has been downright hostile. He has a remarkably low rating of 0% from the Human rights campaign. He voted against the Matthew Shepard Act which would add bias motivated attacks on LGBT to the list of federal hate crimes. His reasoning being the original draft was designed to provide schooling and health services to women and racial minorities and he claims that “Gays and lesbians have not been denied basic access

to things such as health or schooling or to the ballot box. They openly

are able to advocate their positions today, which I think is certainly

healthy, and have no difficulty in approaching government officials at

whatever level.” However this view is narrow and also factually incorrect at the time it was said as at the time gays and lesbians could be denied visitation rights and medical decision making rights that were at the time provided to straight families, and although minor this is a simple example of where gay and lesbian people were being denied something that opponents claim is non existent.

Besty DeVos

As Trumps pick for secretary of education, Besty DeVos will wield immense power. And will be the chief advisor to the president and the most powerful voice behind the president himself on all educational matters. Which is why it is extremely worrying that Besty and the DeVos family have donated thousands of dollars to anti-gay causes. She of course has grown on the issue, as one of her political advisors and the COO of her company Windquest Group, Greg McNeilly is himself gay. However there still is a cause for alarm as DeVos and her husband have given hundred of thousands of dollars to the Focus on the Family group a group who in the words of their founder is devoted to the battle against LGBT rights or as they call it “the second civil war” and has pushed for conversion therapy practices in the past.

Where This Leaves Us

President Trump has for his credit been a very outspoken protector of LGBT rights, being the only serious republican presidential candidate to state that trans people should be allowed the bathroom they identify with. He has also come out in support of gay marriage during the campaign trail. However what is concerning is the extreme ease with which President Trump and his justice department could lessen the already weak protections of LGBT people against hate crimes. Or quietly rescind an executive order by President Obama extending job protection to LGBT people working federal positions. It should be noted that of course not everyone in the inner circle is antigay, Giuliani and Christie to name a few prominent members. However it should still concerning that President Trump would appoint such strongly anti gay people to his cabinet and to powerful political positions. Perhaps if the President wanted to make a larger commitment to the LGBT voters he claims to respect, it may be wise to make a public statement promising the public not to go back on the positive work that past presidents have made.