Trump has never tried to hide his disdain for queer folks. In December 2024, Trump gave an interview to TIME magazine where he proudly claimed that trans rights and issues are “ripping the country apart.” He has often used derogatory terms like “faggot” to describe people from this community.
Since starting his second term, Trump has been on a crusade to “denationalize” queer and trans people. In his first week in office, Trump signed an executive order ending gender-affirming care for trans youth. His party also introduced legislation in Congress to cut federal funding for gender care.
Learn More: Trump’s Plan To Denationalize LGBTQ+ People Is Alarming And We Can’t Let It Happen
Trump’s Latest Attack on LGBTQ+ Healthcare Research
In the wake of Trump’s executive order cutting down “gender ideology” and DEI, the Trump administration has canceled at least 68 grants for researchers focusing on trans health. Trump’s rationale for cutting these studies is based on the false belief that they are “often unscientific.”
The conservative administration believes that these studies are based on ideologies rather than “solid scientific evidence.” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon stated that the agency aims to restore “evidence-based science” while criticizing research on LGBTQ+ health as having “little identifiable ROI.”
One crucial thing to keep in mind is that this is the same party that doesn’t believe in the Theory of Evolution and wants to teach kids the creationist idea from the Bible. This is the same party that made RFK Jr., an anti-vaxxer and professional science-denier, the Health Secretary.
Learn More: RFK Jr.’s Health Plan: Fewer Vaccines, More Suffering, and ‘Wellness Farms’!
The Implications of These Cuts Are Severe For Everyone
Although these cuts aim to “denationalize” the trans community, they will affect health outcomes for everyone. For the LGBTQ+ community, it will widen the gap in understanding and addressing health issues unique to people from this community.
Despite Trump and his conservative stooges claiming to cut down on “gender conversion therapy,” they are actually attacking research in critical areas like cancer, youth suicide, and bone health—areas crucial for creating effective health strategies for trans communities.
The broader community will also be affected by these cuts. Trans health research often generates insights into AIDS prevention, mental health, and suicide prevention that benefit the larger population. Reports also suggest that attacks on trans health normalize broader discrimination against other minority communities, especially women and African American people.
Read Next: Who’s ‘Normal’ Enough for the GOP’s LGBTQ+ Acceptance?