Tag Archives: trump

Dangerous New Reporting Guidelines for US Annual Human Rights Reports

The U.S. State Department recently sent new instructions to all U.S. embassies to guide in the preparation of the State Department’s 2025 Human Rights Reports. (See our LinkedIn post on this here.) As expected, they are removing the section of the annual report that covers abuses against LGBTQI+ persons. But even more alarming, they are now requiring reporting on transgender medical care as a human rights abuse involving the “chemical or surgical mutilation of children.” In short, the reports are no longer even vaguely credible on LGBTQI+ issues and are now creating an anti-rights framework to legitimize attacks against our communities.

The Council for Global Equality (CGE) has long encouraged human rights groups to report abuses to U.S. embassies for inclusion in the annual human rights reports. Over the past years, based on those local partnerships and the work of a dedicated LGBTQI+ policy team at the State Department in Washington, the U.S. human rights reports became increasingly comprehensive and were used by the United States and many other governments to formulate policy and adjudicate refugee claims. Unfortunately, based on recent instructions and the last 2024 reports, we now know the next reports will no longer be credible on LGBTQI+ and related issues, and CGE fears that the continued submission of information to U.S. embassies could create risks for the community itself.

Given this new policy directive, we encourage groups to maintain cautious contact with trusted U.S. embassy staff, but we also urge groups to exercise extreme caution if you plan to submit information to U.S. embassies or the State Department, as we fear the information could be twisted or used against community interests. For refugee and asylum adjudication purposes only, there may be ways to submit relevant information on extrajudicial executions, torture, or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of LGBTQI+ persons, but please reach out to us (info@globalequality.org) or refugee groups directly to discuss how best to present and submit that information so that it is not cited inappropriately.

At the same time, we want to encourage all human rights groups to continue to document and share information widely on abuses targeting LGBTQI+ persons — that information is more important than ever given the current backlash. Many of you already have robust dissemination networks for your data, including other embassies and the European Union, but please feel free to reach out to discuss how to ensure your documentation reaches the broadest possible audience. And please note that the following CGE member organizations and allied human rights groups regularly compile human rights reports that document violations against LGBTQI+ people globally, which are often useful for policymakers in Washington and beyond: Amnesty International USA, Global Justice Institute, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, ILGA, Outright International, Synergía – Initiatives for Human Rights, and The Williams Institute. Please reach out to those groups directly or reach out to us to help make connections to share your documentation.

Russia court announces ‘LGTBQA+ propaganda’ case against bookstore

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Russia court announces ‘LGTBQA+ propaganda’ case against bookstore

A Saint Petersburg court announced a case Tuesday against the bookstore “Подписные издания” (Subscription Publications) on charges of “LGBTQA+ propaganda.” No information is available yet regarding the reasons for the charges.

On its website, the bookstore shares that it has been open since 1926, with photos that capture the involvement of the store with the people of the cultural capital of Russia. Besides selling books, the bookstore has two cafes and a stationery line, hosts events, manages a children’s literature club, produces lists of children’s books and a literary journal, and publishes novels.

The bookstore was already fined 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,000) in May under the “LGBTQA+ propaganda” charges for selling books authored by Susan Sontag, known to defend women’s rights, journalists Valery Panyushkin and Sergey Parkhomenko, who are identified as “foreign agents,” and more. The court also demanded the removal of the aforementioned literature.

The charge of “LGBTQA+ propaganda” against the bookstore is the latest issue in the journal of human rights violations under Putin’s regime. After labeling the LGBTQA+ movement as “extremist” in 2023, the government dedicated a huge amount of resources to punishing anything that resembled it. Companies like Apple have been fined several times for failing to remove undesired content. Bookstores and publishers have been targets of searches, detention, and fines. LGBTQA+ activists have been fined for social media promotions, with at least one sentence being issued for “LGBTQA+ propaganda.” Fines are also given out for messages in Telegram chats, with some people even being detained for posts in Russian social media VKontakte.

On Wednesday, a woman in illegally annexed Crimea was fined 100,000 rubles (approximately $1300) under “LGBTQA+ propaganda” charges for a meme showing men in wedding dresses. The meme depicted men who say “let’s split the bill,” “I waited for you to make a first move,” “why should I be the one to invite [a girl] on a first day?,” and “prove to and show me that you need me” as men in wedding dresses, establishing a connection between the phrases and self emasculation.

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Hong Kong government proposes to legally recognize same-sex couples registered abroad

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Hong Kong government proposes to legally recognize same-sex couples registered abroad

On Wednesday, the Hong Kong government released an official document that proposes to establish a registration system for same-sex couples who were married or whose marriages are registered overseas.

This document, released by the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, mandates that both partners must be of the same sex and at least 18 years old. Further, one of them must be a Hong Kong resident. Such a framework, if implemented, would confer certain important rights upon same-sex couples. These include rights related to the health of their partner, such as hospital visits, access to medical information and organ donations, as well as the right to handle a partner’s post-death affairs, like applying for a death certificate, claiming the body and arranging funeral matters.

Commenting on this proposed framework, the Bureau stated, “It is essential to establish appropriate registration requirements under an alternative framework that aligns with practical realities and public expectations, while safeguarding registrants’ rights and preventing abuse.”

Importantly, this government proposal comes on the back of a crucial ruling given by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in September 2023, in the case of Sham Tsz Kit v. Secretary for Justice. Herein, the Court held that Article 14 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights obligates the government to create a legal framework to recognize the rights of same sex couples, with a timeline of two years. However, it stopped short of deciding that there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.

Since this ruling, human rights groups as well as the UN have called upon the government of Hong Kong to take legislative steps in furtherance of the court’s decision. The Court of Final Appeal itself has also gone ahead to affirm the rights of same-sex couples to public housing and inheritance.

Hong Kong remains one of the few places in Asia to have created a legal framework for same-sex couples, along with other countries like Thailand, Japan and South Korea. Countries in other parts of the world, such as Poland have also recently moved to give legal support to same-sex unions.

This proposal is the first of such steps taken pursuant to the Court’s ruling, and will be discussed in the legislative council of Hong Kong on Thursday.

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US Federal judge blocks key parts of Trump’s anti-DEI orders

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US Federal judge blocks key parts of Trump’s anti-DEI orders

A judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction preventing the US Department of Labor from requiring government contractors and federal grant recipients to certify that they do not operate any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs that violate any federal anti-discrimination laws.

Executive Order 14151, the termination provision, orders applicable federal agencies to terminate all “equity action plans,” “equity” actions, initiatives, or programs, “equity-related” grants or contracts, and all DEI performance requirements for employees, contractors or grantees. Executive Order 14173—the certification provision—mandates that recipients of federal grants validate that they are not conducting any DEI initiatives in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.

The preliminary injunction comes after the non-profit organization Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) filed a complaint challenging the executive orders. In 2024, CWIT received federal money from the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) program, which works to increase women’s participation in apprenticeship programs and nontraditional occupations such as trades, construction, project management, and cybersecurity. After Trump’s executive orders, CWIT stood to lose thousands of dollars in federal funding, hindering its efforts to increase the representation of marginalized women in key fields. Approximately 70 percent of CWIT’s participants are Black and Latina women.

In the preliminary injunction, Judge Matthew Kennelly held that CWIT would likely prevail on its First Amendment challenge to the certification provision. CWIT argued that the anti-DEI executive orders impose restrictions that are “overbroad” and “impossibly vague” and that “condition CWIT’s receipt of federal funding upon the stifling of CWIT’s protected speech.” Additionally, Kennelly found that CWIT was likely to succeed on the merits of its claim that the termination provision violates the separation of powers. The US Constitution does not permit any executive branch official to unilaterally terminate federal grants and contracts without express statutory authority from Congress. The preliminary injunction is narrow in scope and applies only to the US Department of Labor, not to all federal agencies.

Just a few weeks ago, the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld the government’s request to stay a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocked enforcement of the same contested elements of the two executive orders.

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US education department to cut funding on Maine for gender-affirming school sports

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US education department to cut funding on Maine for gender-affirming school sports

The US Department of Education (DOE) announced Friday its plan to terminate the Maine Department of Education’s (MDOE) federal K-12 education funding for its noncompliance with US President Trump’s executive orders attacking “gender ideology” and gender-affirming educational practices.

The DOE concluded that MDOE has endorsed or allowed school policies allowing males to compete in female sports and occupy women-only intimate spaces. It additionally stated:

[O]ver at least the past two years and continuing in the current school year, at least three male student-athletes have competed in Maine high school girls’ athletic programs for at least five different high schools (so affecting many more times that number of high schools whose female athletes competed against the male athletes).

The DOE’s Office for Civil Rights launched its Title IX investigation of the MDOE on February 21, 2025, in response to Maine Governor Janet Mills challenging Trump to get the courts to make Maine comply with his executive orders. The DOE published its noncompliance finding on March 19 along with a proposed resolution agreement, notifying Maine that it will send a letter of impending enforcement action if Maine does not sign the resolution agreement within ten days from the finding.

In addition to ceasing the practice of its gender-affirming policy, the resolution agreement would have required the MDOE to make “each school district in Maine to submit to MDOE an annual certification of compliance [and] promptly notify OCR of any credible report that a school district is still allowing a boy to participate in girls’ sports.” It would have also required the MDOE to give recognitions to female athletes who did not receive them due to males participating in women’s sports.

On March 31, the DOE sent the MDOE a final warning letter instructing that it will take enforcement action if Maine does not accept the agreement by Friday.

The DOE’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor commented in a press release:

The Department has given Maine every opportunity to come into compliance with Title IX, but the state’s leaders have stubbornly refused to do so, choosing instead to prioritize an extremist ideological agenda over their students’ safety, privacy, and dignity … Governor Mills would have done well to adhere to the wisdom embedded in the old idiom—be careful what you wish for. Now she will see the Trump Administration in court.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal funds. President Trump issued Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 to enforce Title IX, notably by requiring girls’ or women’s school athletic opportunities and private spaces (e.g., locker rooms) to be reserved only for biological females. They further ordered federal funding to be cut from educational institutions that did not comply with the orders.

On the contrary, the MDOE supported its stance by stating that the Maine Human Rights Act adheres to Title IX by prohibiting discrimination in education on the basis of a protected class, including the class of “sexual orientation (which includes gender identity and expression)…”

The DOE also announced that it will be referring this investigation to the US Department of Justice for suit in federal court. These developments come after the Trump administration’s announcement to create a Title IX Special Investigations Team to combat “gender ideology” in schools.

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USA: Georgia new legislation requires transgender athletes to compete in their biological sex

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USA: Georgia new legislation requires transgender athletes to compete in their biological sex

US Georgia Senate passed the Riley Gaines Act of 2025, formerly the Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act, on Monday.

The legislation requires the designation of “sex-specific athletic teams,” barring males from competing in women’s sports and women from competing in men’s sports unless the team’s designation is “coed.” The legislation also replaces the term “gender,” with “sex,” and defines sex as “a student’s biological sex based exclusively on the student’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” The legislation intends to safeguard the safety and fairness of sports.

Riley Gaines, a women’s rights advocate, and former collegiate athlete, gained national recognition after she and others were compelled to share a locker room with and compete against a biological male. The incident—along with many others similarly situated—unearthed a series of Title IX Civil Rights Act claims and calls for legislative, and regulatory changes around the US.

Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones spoke about the bill after it passed on Monday—issuing a celebratory statement about the protection of women’s sports.

I want to thank all of the brave women and girls who shared their personal stories and helped shape this legislation. Their courage is commendable and ensures that the rights of female athletes are preserved and protected by law. I look forward to standing with Governor Brian Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns, and female athletes with their families around the state when the “Riley Gaines Act of 2025” is signed into law.

Notably, an earlier intervention, HB1084 was passed in 2022 by Georgia lawmakers, creating an executive oversight committee to investigate and determine the necessity of barring males from participating in women’s high school athletics. Governor Kemp, in his remarks on HB1084, said, “We put students and parents first by putting woke politics out the classroom and off the ball field.” Turning to the present bill, Governor Kemp is expected to sign the Riley Gaines Act into law.

Relatedly, President Trump issued an executive order rescinding funds for educational programs that “deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities,” by allowing males to compete in women’s sports. Meanwhile, the executive order is facing legal challenges in New Hampshire, where two transgender litigants contended that the order violates the Fifth Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment, and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

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Copy, Paste, Erase – Anti-LGBT+ laws are spreading in Europe! Sign the petition and urge the EU to not stay silent!

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Copy, Paste, Erase – Anti-LGBT+ laws are spreading in Europe! Sign the petition and urge the EU to not stay silent!

Across Europe, governments are copying harmful anti-LGBT+ laws – banning discussions on gender and sexuality, erasing LGBT+ identities from schools and media, and silencing those who speak out for equality. What started in Russia is rapidly spreading to Hungary, Bulgaria, and Georgia. But who’s next?

Romania has already attempted a ban on discussing gender in classrooms and Italy is trying to ban “gender theory” in schools.

These rollbacks are not isolated incidents. They are well-organized, strategic attacks, fueled by anti-LGBT+ forces that want to roll back our rights.

🚨 This blueprint for hate is spreading fast. If we don’t act, more countries will follow.

That’s why LGBT+ organizations from five countries have come together to respond together, strategically, and in solidarity. The EU has the power to intervene – but only if we make our voices heard.

Sign this petition now and demand the EU take immediate action!

Anti-LGBT+ forces are replicating Russia’s notorious “propaganda” laws, censoring educators, silencing activists, and pushing LGBT+ people back into the shadows. In Hungary, this dangerous trend began in June 2021, when a law banned any mention of LGBT+ identities in schools. The European Union responded by taking Hungary to the EU Court of Justice, clearly asserting that these laws violated core European values. Now we must insist the EU acts with the same urgency and resolve across the continent.

When communities stand together, change happens. Last year, Lithuania’s Constitutional Court struck down a 15-year-old anti-LGBT+ law, declaring it unconstitutional. This historic victory proves that solidarity works. Now, it’s time the EU showed the same determination across all of Europe.

A coordinated attack needs a united response! Let’s remind the EU of its duty to protect fundamental rights. Every voice makes our demand stronger.

Stand with LGBT+ communities across Europe today – sign the petition and urge the EU to not stay silent!

Thanks for going All Out!

USA: Trump administration rescinds sweeping federal funding freeze after court challenge (Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing)

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USA: Trump administration rescinds sweeping federal funding freeze after court challenge (Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing)

The Administration of US President Donald Trump on Wednesday rescinded a directive to freeze funding across federal agencies just one day after announcing the sweeping measure, which had left agencies and beneficiaries scrambling to determine its impact.

Tuesday’s directive mandated a temporary pause on all federal financial assistance disbursements and obligations, including grants and loans, while agencies reviewed their programs for alignment with new Trump administration priorities. During this pause, agencies were required to halt new funding programs, stop disbursements under existing programs, and pause activities related to open funding opportunities, though certain legally mandated actions could continue with OMB approval.

The order was issued by way of a memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), an executive-branch office responsible for managing the presidential budget and oversight of agency spending. In the memo, OMB Acting Director Matthew Vaeth criticized federal spending under the previous Democratic administration of Joe Biden as the “use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies” and as a “waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.”

But the directive lacked specificity that would help agencies and beneficiaries understand which programs might be eligible for exceptions, fueling anxiety about the breadth and scope of the order, including fears that programs critical for providing food and resources to the nation’s most vulnerable populations would suffer as a consequence of the order.

The order was supposed to take effect on Tuesday evening, Eastern US time, but a federal district judge granted an administrative stay, pausing the freeze for several days. The stay was granted in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Council of Nonprofits, which said in a statement: “This reckless action by the administration would be catastrophic for nonprofit organizations and the people and communities they serve. … From pausing research on cures for childhood cancer to halting housing and food assistance, shuttering domestic violence and homeless shelters, and closing suicide hotlines, the impact of even a short pause in funding could be devastating and cost lives. This order must be halted immediately before such avoidable harm is done.” The judge said the administrative stay would block the OMB from enforcing the directive pending arguments to take place next week.

Confusion continued to mount in the meantime, with questions about the freeze dominating a White House press briefing on Wednesday. During the briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said repeatedly that the order would not affect direct beneficiaries of federal programs, but was less clear on indirect individual beneficiaries, such as seniors benefiting from federally funded nutrition programs organized by third-parties. She maintained more information was coming.

Shortly thereafter, reports emerged that the OMB had released a brief memo rescinding its directive from Tuesday. Leavitt took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm that the OMB memo had been rescinded because of the court order. She added the caveat, however, that Trump’s various executive orders on federal funding “remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.” The executive orders named in the OMB memo included the following:

Protecting the American People Against Invasion (Jan. 20, 2025), which revoked several Biden-era immigration policies while directing federal agencies to prioritize deportations, establish nationwide Homeland Security Task Forces, expand detention facilities, encourage state-local immigration enforcement partnerships, and review funding to NGOs that assist undocumented immigrants;
Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid (Jan. 20, 2025), which imposed a 90-day pause on US foreign development assistance disbursements while agencies review all foreign aid programs for alignment with the Trump administration’s foreign policy objectives, with the Secretary of State empowered to grant waivers and approve resumption of funding for programs that pass review;
Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements (Jan. 20, 2025), which directed the US’ immediate withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change and all related UN climate accords, revokes the US International Climate Finance Plan, and requires federal agencies to prioritize economic efficiency and American prosperity over climate commitments in international energy agreements;
Unleashing American Energy (Jan. 20, 2025), which mandated a comprehensive review and rollback of climate-related policies, including revoking multiple Biden-era executive orders, pausing Inflation Reduction Act funding disbursements, disbanding the interagency working group on carbon costs, expediting energy permits, restarting LNG export reviews, and directing agencies to prioritize domestic energy production and mineral development while removing restrictions on consumer choice in vehicles and appliances;
Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing (Jan. 20, 2025), which mandated the termination of all federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental Justice programs and positions, required agencies to document all such programs and contractors since January 2021, and established monthly meetings to monitor the elimination of these initiatives across the federal government;
Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government (Jan. 20, 2025), which defined sex as binary and biological, mandated federal agencies to use only these definitions, required identification documents to reflect biological sex rather than gender identity, prohibited federal funding related to “gender ideology,” directed changes to prison housing policies based on biological sex, and rescinded multiple Biden-era policies and guidance documents related to gender identity protections; and
Enforcing the Hyde Amendment (Jan. 24, 2025). which revoked two Biden-era orders related to abortion access and directed the OMB to issue guidance ensuring federal funding complies with the Hyde Amendment’s restrictions on using federal funds for elective abortions.

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USA: Trump bans DEI initiatives in federal government

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USA: Trump bans DEI initiatives in federal government

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued an order prohibiting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies and directing the government to combat such practices in the private sector.

The sweeping order revokes several executive orders (EO) passed by the Democratic administrations in recent decades, including that of Lyndon B. Johnson, who served from 1963 to 1969, during a critical juncture of America’s civil rights movement. In the 1960s, Black Americans faced systemic discrimination that traced back to slavery and its aftermath. Though slavery had ended in 1865, Southern states had in its wake established racial-segregation laws and economic practices that deliberately kept Black Americans from accessing good jobs, education, and wealth-building opportunities. This persistent inequality sparked mass protests and civil rights marches across America, often met with violence, which ultimately pressured the federal government to enact reforms. Washington responded to the unrest with various policies aimed at dismantling such repressive practices, including the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, and EO 11246, a 1965 order requiring government contractors to take concrete action to increase the representation of minorities and women in their workforce.

Trump’s new order revokes EO 11246, along with — among other such policies — a 1994 EO passed by Bill Clinton (1993-2001) requiring the federal government to address environmental disparities impacting minority and low-income populations, and a 2011 order passed by Barack Obama (2009-2017) pushing for diversity within the federal workforce, among other directives.

In addition, the new policy requires federal agencies to identify “the most egregious and discriminatory DEI practitioners” across key sectors and develop enforcement plans targeting corporations, universities, and other institutions with potentially discriminatory practices.

“Hardworking Americans who deserve a shot at the American Dream should not be stigmatized, demeaned, or shut out of opportunities because of their race or sex,” the order states.

Under the directive, the Justice Department and Education Department must issue guidance within 120 days to educational institutions receiving federal funding on compliance with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that struck down race-conscious college admissions.

The order maintains exemptions for veterans’ preferences and does not restrict academic freedom to discuss DEI practices in higher education settings.

The policy delivers on Trump’s campaign promises to dismantle DEI initiatives, which grew to new prominence in 2020 following the killing by police of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in Minnesota. Floyd’s death provoked outrage over enduring elements of systemic racism, including police killings, and sparked a national conversation about righting historical wrongs. Many companies and organizations enacted DEI initiatives in the aftermath of Floyd’s killing as a means of counteracting repressive policies.

Advocates have celebrated DEI policies as necessary for addressing historical inequities, while critics have slammed them, claiming they prioritize identity politics over merit. In a fact sheet accompanying Wednesday’s order, the Trump administration pointed to the latter sentiment, stating: “Many corporations and universities use DEI as an excuse for biased and unlawful employment practices and illegal admissions preferences.” This divide emerged as a significant point of contention between often pro-DEI Democratic candidates and their increasingly anti-DEI Republican counterparts during the 2024 campaign season.

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