Reddit Q&A: LGBTQ political questions, answered

Brooke Migdon, The Hill’s reporter covering LGBTQ politics and policy, answered questions about the state of LGBTQ rights in the U.S. and the stakes of the upcoming presidential election. 

Selected answers from the “Ask me anything” are below: 

Question: What are the most tangible ways that LGBTQIA+ Americans will see their life impacted by another Trump administration? 

Answer: Hey there, thanks for the question. Trump has promised to enact several policies directly impacting the LGBTQ community if he is reelected in November, including a national ban on transgender student-athletes competing in accordance with their gender identity and a federal law that recognizes only two genders. He has also vowed to punish doctors who administer gender-affirming care to minors and roll back new nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. At a campaign event last year, Trump said he would restore his ban on transgender people serving openly in the military like he did in 2017.  

Some more links to The Hill’s reporting here: https://digital-release.thehill.com/homenews/3839471-trump-vows-to-punish-doctors-hospitals-that-provide-gender-affirming-care-to-transgender-minors/  

Trump vows to reverse transgender student protections ‘on day one’

Question: Do you think that a change in administration would mean a noticeable ‘vibe shift’ for the LGBTQ community? Are people in the LGBTQ community concerned about a possible Trump administration? Do they find the rhetoric concerning? 

Answer: This is an extremely high-stakes election for LGBTQ people, and voters I’ve talked to are certainly anxious about what November will bring. Trump has already laid out a number of policies he will enact as president that explicitly target LGBTQ Americans, and transgender Americans in particular. But voters aren’t exactly thrilled about voting for Biden, either, especially after the administration signaled its opposition to gender-affirming surgeries for minors, which many see as a reversal of the president’s commitment not to interfere in private medical decisions. 

Question: What is the biggest LGBTQ story in politics that may not be getting as much coverage, but you think will become only more important with time? 

Answer: That’s a good question. There definitely needs to be more of a focus on how Project 2025, a conservative wish list for a possible Trump administration, will impact LGBTQ people if it is implemented. 

Question: Policy-wise, what has been the Biden administration’s level of support for LBGTQ issues? Let’s say ignoring Biden’s memory issues (and the lack of support from the alternative), if a second Biden administration happens and they stay at the same level of support for LBGTQ issues would that be viewed as generally acceptable? Good? Bad? 

Answer: Biden has done a lot for LGBTQ people. He’s expanded federal nondiscrimination protections and largely condemned attacks against the community. Last month, he pardoned thousands of former U.S. service members given military convictions under a former law banning gay sex. https://digital-release.thehill.com/homenews/4740284-biden-pardon-veterans-convictions-gay-sex-ban/  

That said, Biden has fallen short on several promises, including one to safeguard access to gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, which is now banned in half the country. The administration last week issued a controversial statement opposing transition surgeries for minors. Although such procedures are typically not recommended for trans youth under 18, the statement has rattled the community. A group of trans state legislators in a letter to Biden last week called the statement “shocking repudiation” of the president’s promises to protect transgender Americans. 

White House says gender-affirming surgeries should be limited to adults

Question: What are the most significant stories you are tracking right now (court cases, state laws, general campaigns, etc.)? 

Answer: Right now, I’m tracking efforts by Republicans to overturn the Biden administration’s new Title IX regulations, which cover discrimination based on gender identity for the first time. 

More than two dozen GOP-led states have sued over the changes, which they argue undermine existing nondiscrimination protections for students who are not transgender. Federal judges have sided with those states in three cases, blocking the regulations, which are set to take effect Aug. 1, in 14 states. 

House Republicans are expected to vote today on a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the administration’s Title IX rule, though it’s unlikely to pass the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats. 

Question: In the event of Trump being president again, would LGBTQ+ policies differ by state? As an example, I live in Minnesota, which has relatively strong protections for LGBTQ+ people. Is it in any likelihood that those state-granted protections could or would be steamrolled under a second Trump administration? 

Answer: This is an important question. The short answer is, yes. We know from Project 2025, a roadmap for the next conservative administration authored by the Heritage Foundation, that certain federal protections for LGBTQ people may be in jeopardy under a second Trump term. (Trump has, however, recently attempted to distance himself from Project 2025, saying he has “nothing to do” with the initiative and disagrees with some of its aspects.) States with laws shielding access to gender-affirming health care and abortion, could also see those policies challenged under Trump, and hospitals and local school districts with trans-inclusive policies may lose funding from the government.