Following President Trump’s inauguration and declarations of the federal government’s recognition of only two biological sexes and rewriting immigration policies, Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Joe Hollendoner issued the following statement:
“On the day we honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—a true leader of justice, equality, and human dignity— it is clear that President Trump’s second presidency will be an affront to everything Dr. King stood for. As we await the over 100 executive orders that usher in his return to the White House, we know that President Trump’s campaign trail promises, his inauguration speech, and what press outlets are reporting, threaten the rights and well-being of LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and asylum seekers.
The next four years will be consequential for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those already facing the compounded impacts of racism, transphobia, xenophobia, and economic injustice. Throughout Trump’s second term as president, the Center will continue to serve a vital lifeline to LGBTQ+ people everywhere, protecting our community’s rights and freedoms.
We know that our work is being targeted by the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress, but we remain unwavering in our commitment to providing the life-saving services that are essential to our community. The Center will fight to protect federal funding for Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, HIV services, and LGBT-specific intimate partner violence programs, despite scare tactics by members of the Trump administration to cut these services.
We also will remain a sanctuary for gender affirming care, comprehensive reproductive services, immigration/asylum services, and supportive services for LGBTQ+ children, youth, and families. Be assured, our doors will never close to any member of the LGBTQ+ community who needs our care. But beyond our services, we will continue to be a voice for resistance. We will advocate for the protection of LGBTQ+ rights, to resist every harmful policy proposed, and to challenge the injustices that threaten the lives and well-being of our community.
The Center has always been a beacon of hope in times of crisis, and today, we affirm that our commitment is stronger than ever. We will not back down. Our resolve is clear: we will fight for justice, equality, and the dignity of all queer and trans people, regardless of who occupies the White House.”
