So, Donald Trump is now the 47th President of the United States of America. Here is how I think he has done.
Signed an executive order to say there are only two sexes
One of the first things he did when he got into the White House was to sign an executive order to say the US Federal Government would only recognise two sex’s, male and female.
The legislation requires government employees to use the term “sex” rather than “gender”, and that IDs, including passports and visas, must show a person’s biological sex as “either male or female”.
During his inaugural address on Monday (20 January), Trump said there were only two genders, “male and female”, adding that he will end “the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life”.
This means transgender people and non-binary people are effectively erased from having rights according to the US government.
Scrapping of DEI Initiatives
Another executive order moves to scrap DEI or Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion initiatives throughout the federal government. This allows government agencies to refuse employment for any BAME or LGBT+ people if they have a bias towards them.
Several prominent companies, including Meta, Amazon, Harley Davidson, McDonald’s, Walmart, and Coors Light, have joined the US government in discontinuing DEI initiatives.
There is some resistance from prominent companies, particularly Apple, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Costco, who have indicated their intention to retain their DEI initiatives. They assert that these initiatives are beneficial for business as they enable the companies to attract the most skilled talent, thereby enhancing their chances of success.
Banning Transgender people from serving in the US Military.
Another executive order was to ban transgender people from signing up to serve in the US Military and discharge current transgender military personnel from the US Military. Also it stop’s transgender healthcare from being given to anyone on a US base, including spouses of serving US Military personnel.
Ordered US Embassies to stop raising Pride Flags
President Trump has also ordered all US Embassies around the world to stop showing Pride Flags outside US embassies. This is another way he is trying to erase the fact that LGBT+ people exist.
Conclusion
President Trump so far has been very anti-LGBT+ and anti-BAME in his approach to his second term in office. Not only this, but he has also threatened allies like Panama and Denmark with invasions, declared a national emergency at the border with Mexico, and threatened sanctions on most of the US’s allies.
I fear for my LGBT+ brothers and sisters across the pond in the US, it’s going to be a very bad 4 years ahead. We have survived one term of President Trump in office, I am sure we will survive another term. We just have to be strong and support each other.
From a global perspective, the United Kingdom is fortunate to have recently held its General Election, and there will not be another one until President Trump’s term concludes. However, it is anticipated that he will attempt to alter the current government’s policies. Notably, he has already engaged in this endeavor through his ‘special advisor,’ Elon Musk, who has publicly expressed his belief that our Prime Minister, Sir Kier Starmer, lacks the necessary qualifications for office. He has also voiced his support for the far-right party Reform UK.
In contrast, other countries are experiencing the rise of far-right parties. For instance, Germany is witnessing the growth of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has already garnered the endorsement of Elon Musk. Germany is scheduled to hold elections in the near future.
In the meantime, France is grappling with the National Rally, another far-right party led by Marine Le Pen. France also has elections coming up in a few years, and I am certain that, as things stand, Elon Musk will want to become involved somehow in them.
The next 4 years will be scary times indeed for everyone in the west.
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