Within hours of Trump’s inauguration, the web page supporting the LGBT community disappeared from the White House website. Also removed: web pages supporting the national HIV/AIDS strategy, civil rights, climate change, and the White House Council on Women and Girls.
(You can still find Obama’s issue pages, which are archived here and include a list of advancements for LGBT rights achieved during his presidency.)
According to a January 21 Washington Post report:
Several social issues disappeared from the WhiteHouse.gov site Friday, including a page dedicated to LGBT rights.
A report on the Labor Department’s website on LGBT workers rights was also removed.
Advocates for the LGBT community have worried about what a Trump administration would mean for the progress made on equality issues under President Obama. As a candidate, President Trump said he is opposed to same-sex marriage and Vice President Pence has taken strong anti-gay rights stances throughout his political career.
And while it’s standard for the new administration to update the White House’s official website with its agenda as part of the transition it is notable that the Trump administration did not choose to include anything about the LGBT community.
In a statement Friday afternoon, Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said, “If President Trump truly believes in uniting the country, now is the time to make clear whether he will be an ally to the LGBTQ community in our struggle for full equality. We are prepared to do whatever it takes to protect our community and our progress.”
