Trumpocalypse Now
New Trump executive order will reportedly allow LGBTQ discrimination
There’s an extremely disturbing story emerging (emphasis mine):
“An executive order from President Donald Trump opening up discrimination against the LGBTQ community on the basis of religious belief is expected sometime this week, possibly as soon as today.
“From what we’ve heard, the executive order could be far-reaching, and could include: making taxpayer funds available for discrimination against LGBTQ people in social services; allow federally funded adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ parents; eliminate non-discrimination protections in order to make it possible to fire federal employers and contractors based on their sexual orientation or gender identity; and allow federal employees to refuse to serve people based on the belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and that gender is an immutable characteristic set at birth, which would impact a broad range of federal benefits.”
This measure will quickly be challenged and, I hope, dismissed in court. While unconfirmed at this stage, the idea that the Trump administration (or any Republican administration) would propose providing federal dollars to support discriminatory measures is enraging and horrifying for many reasons.
Most frustrating is the sheer hypocrisy. Trump reinstated the global gag order through the Mexico City policy, and his executive order concerning international treaties withdraws the U.S. from any organizations it funds that support abortion. (Whether such an organization exists is another question — the entire order is the right’s fantasy of an ultraliberal coalition of global institutions, which is far from reality). An emboldened pro-life movement is seeking to defund Planned Parenthood, which will neuter access to reproductive healthcare for low-income and rural women. All of this is done by perpetuating the myth that the U.S. is funding the murder of babies — which is impossible because the Helms and Hyde amendments prohibit federal dollars from funding abortions abroad and domestically, respectively.
But more broadly, the Republican Party has continually stymied federal funds to support social services, welfare programs and other “big government” intrusions. They oppose the entire idea of state support and blame systemic failings on personal failure. But for the purposes of oppression, Republicans don’t mind releasing state funds. While perhaps the conservative establishment would be more discreet under “normal” circumstances, white supremacist Steve Bannon and evangelical Mike Pence can now throw the power of the White House behind their narrative demonizing the marginalized and dismantling the state.
