The World is Watching You — Vote With Pride
By Christine Kinori
On 5th November 2024, the world will turn its attention to America to watch as they elect a new president. It will be a historic moment to witness whether America will re-elect Trump or elect its first female president. On the surface, it looks like the stakes are simply the same as any presidential election. But if you look closer, the stakes are higher than ever, especially for the minorities like the LGBTQ+ community.
Trump, who is running on the Republican party ticket has been vocal about his plans for the LGBTQ+ community. If he wins, this will be his second time at the helm. In his first term, Trump’s administration made efforts to undermine the LGBTQ+ protection laws that had been previously passed. The transgender community faced an onslaught of legal attacks with anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced by many Republican governors.
These bills aimed to remove or lessen the existing transgender protection laws. They also introduced bills that led to limited or no access to gender-affirming health care and strived to make it hard for transgender kids to participate in sports. In a way, Trump’s administration did the most to undo Obama’s progressive work with the LGBTQ+ community. Thankfully, Biden’s administration stepped in and tried to save the day after Trump left.
It is therefore concerning that Trump is running for reelection. He has been vocal about what he will do if he is elected. Among his promises, Trump has publicly stated that he will rescind the federal policies that don’t allow discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. In other words, his administration will strip the LGBTQ+ community of the little federal protection it has and allow queer people to be discriminated against. He will use federal jurisdictions to remove crucial state and local protections and allow even private corporations to discriminate without any consequences. This means that it will be even harder for queer people to have access to employment, housing, healthcare, education and federal services.
On the other hand, we have Kamala Harris, who was Biden’s vice president. The Biden-Harris administration has a long history of protecting the LGBTQ+ community. From suing states that tried to perpetuate discrimination against queer people, to undoing Trump’s previous anti-LGBTQ+ policies and introducing new protection laws, it has been an uphill battle for the Biden-Harris administration to fight tooth and nail to ensure the human rights of the LGBTQ+ are observed.
Harris plans to be a pro-equality president. This means she hopes to create a world where equality thrives and minorities face less discrimination. Her reputation from many years of service is proof that she is not only ready to fight for equality but has enough experience to make it a reality. We have seen her days in the Senate where she supported the Equality Act, to her zealous efforts to fight anti-LGBTQ measures in her role as Vice-President under the Biden administration. She is undoubtedly an equality rights warrior. With her legal expertise, she will work with relevant government organizations to push for more protection rights.
As the world watches America head to the poll, many LGBTQ+ allies from all over the world will be waiting with bated breaths. We understand what is at stake in this American election. It is a matter of life and death, especially for our transgender brothers and sisters in the USA. It is also important to see if America will take a stand against the global onslaught of LGBTQ+ rights. America is said to be a pioneer in democracy, but denying human rights such as access to healthcare is considered an act of undermining democracy.
With many countries in the world striping their queer citizens of protection, it would be concerning to watch the same play out in America. Whether we like it or not, it will be fatal if we weaponize homophobia and use it as a cornerstone to discriminate against people. If other countries follow America’s lead and push for more severe anti-LGBTQ+ laws, where will the queer community find safety? If the policymakers are committed to destroying the rights of sexual and gender minorities, where will queer people have a right to a free and dignified life? Whatever America decides in November, it will send a clear signal to many countries worldwide.
About the Author
Christine Siamanta Kinori grew up in a little village in Kenya known as Loitoktok near the border of Kenya and Tanzania. All she wanted to do when she grew up was to explore the world. Her curiosity led her to join Nairobi University to pursue a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She later got a job with an amazing travel magazine Nomad Africa which gave her the opportunity to explore Africa. She also writes for numerous travel websites about Africa and tries to create a new narrative in the media about our aesthetic continent.
Christine claims to have somewhat unhealthy addiction to TV and reading, as it is a fun way to keep herself occupied during the long journeys for her travel writing. She is also a believer of letting people be their beautiful selves. To her, love is love and it is the greatest gift we have as humans.
