Executive Orders From Trump Are Intersectionally Distressing

Donald Trump being inaugurated is obviously not just upsetting to our communities; it poses real threats to our health, safety, and rights. And people are stressing over it. On inauguration day, The Rainbow Youth Project in Indiana received over 1400 calls to their crisis counseling hotline via the national 988 number. Compared to their 3765 calls per month, it is clear that Trump’s attacks on our hard-fought for rights is disturbing to our communities.

Trump signed a large number of executive orders (EO’s) that have the potential to affect people intersectionally, whether they’re targeting folks by race or gender identity. It is important to note that while we should be concerned about these changes, the EOs are not yet in affect and must go through additional processes before plans can be developed to implement them.

There is an EO that would take away the policies that allow people to mark “X” on their passports in place of choosing a binary gender identifier. Another would instruct the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to end the housing for incarcerated trans women in women’s correctional facilities, requiring them to be placed in a men’s facility. It would also instruct those departments to stop providing gender-affirming healthcare to inmates, which violates the Eighth and 14th Amendments.

Other EO’s signed include plans to end DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) by instructing the Office of Management and Budget to terminate the mandates, policies, and programs in place in the federal government, and the rescission of Executive Order 13988 of January 20, 2021 (Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation).

Other changes of note that are not executive orders include the deletion of the Spanish White House website and the deletion of the U.S. Constitution from the website as well. The disregard for people’s human rights and the lack of recognition for anyone who does not fit a certain mold is disgusting and not surprising.

While these new orders are infuriating and discouraging, we cannot lose hope or give up. The fight for our communities is not lost. We are paying attention, and we are protecting each other. Taking care of our mental and physical health, staying informed, and seeking out/protecting our joy are valid forms of protest. Do not give in to despair. Below are some resources if you or someone you know is in crisis. Please don’t hesitate to seek help.

Colorado Crisis Services:  Call 1-844-493-8255 | Text TALK to 38255  coloradocrisisservices.org

The following resources will not call the police. Information courtesy of @mhliberation on Instagram:

Trans Lifeline  Call 877-565-8860 | translifeline.org  Call Blackline centers BI & POC, LGBTQ+, Black Femme Lens 1-800-604-5841  Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line 1-888-407-4515  Thrive Lifeline 24/7 Trans Led and Operated 1-313-662-8209  LGBT National Help Center 1-888-843-4564  StrongHearts Native Helpline 24/7 Centers Native Americans experiencing intimate partner or sexual violence