As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Democrats and members of the LGBTQ+ community have been weary of Project 2025, a far-right plan that includes axing reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights. That said, presidential candidate Donald Trump has distanced himself from the project, instead pushing his own platform, Agenda47, which similarly poses a threat to queer Americans.
Candidate Kamala Harris and other Democrats have made fighting Project 2025 a big part of their campaign against Trump. Harris even mentions Project 2025 on her social media accounts. While Trump says, “I have no idea who is behind it,” CNN believes over 140 members of the Trump administration have played a hand in the 900-page document. Beyond this, CNN has found around 240 people with ties to both Trump and Project 2025.
Project 2025 was created by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization that has vocally supported Trump since his 2016 inauguration. The document outlines Trump’s first 180 days in office and includes plans to fill government positions with conservatives, reverse federal approval of the abortion pill, and make it harder for transgender adults to transition. While Trump has not promoted Project 2025, the platform is backed by around 100 different conservative groups and has amassed a budget of over 20 million dollars.
So what is Agenda47?
Featured on Trump’s campaign website, Agenda47 is a 20-part platform that seeks to “seal the border,” strengthen the military, and “keep men out of women’s sports.” The latter is a clear attack on trans athletes. This aligns with Trump’s stance against transgender rights. On his website, Trump outlines a plan to “cease all programs that promote the concept of sex and gender transition at any age” via executive order. He also wants Congress to pass a bill establishing that, at birth, male and female are the only genders, and again prohibit trans women from competing in women’s sports.
Besides Trump’s plans, trans athletes have been under constant attack. Most recently, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) introduced a policy that bans transgender women from competing in women’s sports. The policy does not ban trans men from competing in men’s sports categories.
Whether it’s Project 2025 or Agenda47, conservatives and Trump are targeting LGBTQ+, and more specifically, trans rights.
On the other hand, candidate Kamala Harris has advocated for the LGBTQ+ community. As California attorney general, she helped restore marriage equality, and as a U.S. senator, she scored 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Congressional Scorecard. The topic of trans rights will likely factor into both Trump and Harris’ presidential campaigns and potential terms as president.
Image Courtesy of REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
