This is an extended version of my article. “Trump turns back the clock on LGBTQ rights. Could it happen here?” in The Big Smoke  published 31 January 2025.

Donald Trump Targeting LGBTQ Rights: Could it happen in Australia?

With a stroke of the pen, Trump pushes back hard-won gains for LGBTQ people

The impact on LGBTQ individuals and beyond
How far will this go?
Could such a thing happen in Australia?
Conclusion

Unless you’ve been living under rock or totally disconnected from the internet and news, you’d know that US President Trump in his Inauguration speech and through his executive orders has made a concerted effort to target LGBTQ rights and diversity initiatives. These actions threaten to wind back decades of progress, particularly for transgender individuals. Could this ever happen in Australia?

With a stroke of the pen, Trump pushes back hard-won gains for LGBTQ people

While executive orders do not immediately change laws, they set the tone for federal policy and agency actions. It’s clear that the Trump administration will be anti-LGBTQ all the way. Here are some examples from the first few days of the Trump administration.

  • Erasing Gender Diversity: On his first day back in office, Trump signed a sweeping executive order mandating government agencies to recognise only two sexes, male and female, based on biological definitions. This policy blatantly disregards the existence of intersex individuals and the scientific consensus on the complexity of gender identity. Sex designations on US government identification documents like passports must now only reflect an individual’s sex assigned at birth. This policy effectively outs transgender individuals whenever they present these documents, jeopardising their safety and privacy.
  • Targeting Transgender Inmates: The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Homeland Security have been directed to disregard the Prison Rape Elimination Act guidelines. This means that transgender women  will be forced into men’s detention centres, thus heightening the risk of sexual violence and denies access to gender-affirming healthcare.
  • Defunding Healthcare Programs: Funding is to be cut for programs providing gender-affirming healthcare, further limiting access to critical medical services for transgender individuals.
  • Dismantling Diversity Initiatives: Executive orders have repealed  measures that advanced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in government agencies. While some of these programs, like ABBI’s, are designed to educate specifically about LGBTQ people, relationships and community, DEI covers a range of marginalised or disadvantaged groups. For example, migrants, people of colour, neurodiverse, disabilities and women, etc. DEI creates equality and makes for more harmonious and respectful work environments. DEl isn’t hiring an under qualified person for a job just to meet diversity goals (this is illegal) or because they fit a certain category. Nor is it a new fad or buzz word. DEl work has been going on for many many years, under different names.
  • Banning Pride Flags: Another controversial move by the Trump administration is the prohibition of “activist” flags, including Pride flags, at US embassies and consulates. This directive is a rollback of symbolic gestures of solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities abroad, reversing policies from the Biden administration that allowed rainbow flags to fly alongside US flags during Pride Month.

The impact on LGBTQ individuals and beyond

Trump’s actions have exacerbated existing challenges for LGBTQ individuals and youth, who already face higher rates of mental health issues. Policies restricting restroom access and affirming healthcare further stigmatise young individuals, increasing their vulnerability. Support services for LGBTQ youth have already spiked with inquiries.

Trumps aggression towards the LGBTQ community is having an international impact as well. Bishop John Praise Daniel, vice president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, welcomed Trump’s moves.

“I’m very excited,” he said, “I think Donald Trump has just done what is right, because how can some young persons wake up and say, ‘I don’t feel like being a girl, I want to be a boy,’ and their sexes will be changed. We don’t need that confusion. Bringing back righteousness, order and sanity to society.”

How far will this go?

Even after Trump stacked the Supreme Court with conservative judges during his last presidency, who would have imagined that, after 50 years, the landmark Roe v Wade decision giving women the right to an abortion would have been so easily overturned? This decision meant that states could independently decide whether to allow abortion. Some enacted trigger laws that automatically banned abortion after the decision. Other states enacted laws that banned abortion after a certain point in pregnancy. Some states enacted laws to protect abortion rights or added additional protections. So much unnecessary chaos and suffering ensued.

Conservative states are preparing not only for a battle but a similar win with same sex marriage. In Idaho, for example, a legislative petition asking the US Supreme Court to reconsider its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, that legalised same-sex marriage, has passed the first step. The petition pushes to restore the authority of defining marriage to the states. The vote was 13-2. No prizes for guessing what party the 13 belonged to. Just as we saw with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, America risks becoming sharply divided into conservative and liberal states. In conservative regions, same-sex married couples could face the devastating prospect of their marriages being invalidated, forcing many to relocate in order to protect their relationships and rights.

Could such a thing happen in Australia?

So much of what’s happening in the world today defies logic. Who could have foreseen the resurgence of the far right in Germany, the rise of Neo-Nasi groups in Australia, or the alarming persistence of white supremacy? Yet history reminds us that these movements often emerge from a perfect storm of factors: economic hardship, widespread insecurity, inflated egos, and an insatiable desire for power and control.

Such forces are further fuelled by fear, hatred, anger, misinformation, and conspiracy theories—spread by politicians and influencers who understand all too well how these emotions capture attention and loyalty. We’ve seen these tactics at play before, particularly in our long, hard-fought struggle for marriage equality.

Speaking of marriage equality, Australia was one of the few western countries to actually ban same sex marriage, when Prime Minister John Howard, supported by the Labor Party, changed the marriage act in 2004 to read “marriage is between a man and woman to the exclusion of all others”. It was a battle of 13 years to change that.

When we got it, people said it was an “overwhelming majority”. I think that statement was inflationary. All I could think of was over a third (38.40%)  of Australians said, “no you can’t have that, you’re gay” that reflected we still had a lot of work to do.

I’m sure many have forgotten or are unaware of what happened in Queensland just over a decade ago. In 2012, during a brief period from February to June, the Labor government introduced civil unions for same-sex couples. Like the UK had done in 2004, it was pretty close to same sex marriage and couples could have a ceremony. Within months, the Liberal National Party (LNP) had taken power in a landslide victory. One of the first things Campbell Newman’s government did was to downgrade the civil unions to “registered relationships” (like a pet registration) thus amending the law to ensure that there was no ceremony. Wendy Francis, from the Australian Christian Lobby, was happy with the outcome.

“So the paths of this legislation that have been mimicking (my emphasis) marriage have been removed”, she said.

In the same year, Newman’s government withdrew funding from the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (QAHC), the state’s primary LGBTQ health organisation. The withdrawal of funding and rights was devastating for many in the LGBTQ community.

Already the Queensland government has halted hormone treatment for new trans patients under 18.

Quick off the mark after Trump’s declarations, has been Australia’s ultra conservative group, Binary (previously known as Marriage Alliance, who campaigned against marriage equality), who have backed a letter to the Prime minister. The letter, signed by 100 “prominent” Australians, including doctors, a former PM, activists and other politicians, asking the Prime Minister to stop harmful gender practices. With an election coming up, one wonders if this will become an election issue and we have to, once again, be subjected to days of fear-mongering, ignorance, attacks and conspiracy theories.

And just last week, the Northern Territory’s Health Minister, Steve Edgington, ordered that Pride flags be removed from all of the territory’s hospitals.

Conclusion

Trump’s executive orders and policies represent a significant regression in LGBTQ+ rights and diversity initiatives. These measures not only threaten the freedoms and protections of LGBTQ individuals but also undermine the progress made toward a more inclusive society. His prominent and well publicised anti-LGBTQ policies will embolden others around the world.

The fight against Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies will probably be long and multifaceted. Legal challenges will focus on protecting the constitutional rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, while advocacy groups work to provide resources and support for affected communities. Grassroots organisations are urging allies to stay informed, contact their representatives, and support local LGBTQ+ initiatives.

History tells us things like this don’t last forever. The pendulum will swing again. For now, though, we must call on the tenacious resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and the support of our wonderful allies to fight against discrimination.

Through legal action, advocacy, and unwavering solidarity, the movement for equality will persevere.

Be alert, be aware, be strong.