In a significant and controversial move, the White House website underwent a makeover on Inauguration Day, resulting in the removal of numerous pages dedicated to LGBTQ rights and related issues. Among the deleted content are vital resources such as the White House’s equity report, a fact sheet on expanding HIV medication access, and pages from both the Department of State and Department of Labor regarding LGBTQ policies. These pages have been replaced with profiles on Trump administration officials and details of the president’s first-day actions.
The website revamp corresponds with promises made by President Trump during his inaugural speech, where he committed to eliminating diversity programs and establishing an official policy recognizing only two genders. The search terms “lesbian,” “gay,” and “bisexual” now yield a solitary result—a rollback of executive orders from the Biden era. Meanwhile, searches for “transgender” produce two results: the aforementioned rollback and a new executive order from Trump explicitly stating that there are only two genders.
Reactions from LGBTQ Advocates
GLAAD’s president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, has voiced strong criticism of these actions. She characterized the removal of LGBTQ information as a “rollback of LGBTQ rights,” further stating:
“President Trump claims to be a strong proponent of freedom of speech, yet he is clearly committed to censorship of any information containing or related to LGBTQ Americans and issues that we face.”
Furthermore, Ellis highlighted the challenges now facing LGBTQ Americans in accessing federal resources under the current administration:
“This action proves the Trump administration’s goal of making it as difficult as possible for LGBTQ Americans to find federal resources or otherwise see ourselves reflected under his presidency.”
Despite these setbacks, Ellis remains optimistic about the resilience and visibility of the LGBTQ community:
“Sadly for him, our community is more visible than ever; and this pathetic attempt to diminish and remove us will again prove unsuccessful.”
The deleted pages include not only crucial resources but also symbolic content such as a proclamation on Pride Month 2024 and a fact sheet celebrating the accomplishments of LGBTQ Americans. Visitors to the White House website now encounter 404 error pages when searching for the Department of State’s LGBTQ Rights page and the Department of Labor’s LGBTQ policy page.
What The Author Thinks
The decision to remove LGBTQ content from the White House website is a disheartening reflection of the new administration’s priorities, underscoring a disregard for the visibility and rights of LGBTQ individuals. This act of erasing such critical information not only marginalizes a vulnerable community but also contradicts the principles of transparency and inclusivity in governance. As the political landscape shifts, it becomes imperative for advocates and allies to rally and ensure that the progress made in recent years is not only preserved but continues to advance.
