Written by Thea Frandson
The Story Behind “Rainbow Erasure”
“Rainbow Erasure,” by Thea Frandson, represents the growing attempts at the erasure of LGBTQ+ people. For example, in this artwork, the differences in race and drawing utensil represent diversity in our community.
While I wish that the “erasure of members of the LGBTQIA+ community” was some sort of metaphor, that is hardly the case.
Talk of President Trump’s executive orders to remove “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility polices” was widespread, but more quietly, perhaps, were orders against transgender and non-binary people. A separate executive order scrubbed them from government websites altogether.
According to NPR,
Historians warn that this kind of systematic erasure has in the past come when governments strip rights from people, starting from the most marginalized groups.
“If you erase the memory, we really forget the people,” said Alessio Ponzio, whose research focuses on LGBTQ history and women’s studies and is a visiting professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland. “It’s an act of violence that is very subtle but can really destroy the psychology of people. Basically, ‘I’m telling you that I do not recognize you.’”
Additional resources:
According to GLAAD.org, the Trump administration eliminated nearly all LGBTQ and HIV focused content and resources from the White House website, as well as eliminated LGBTQ and HIV content from key federal agency webpages.
Mentions of “lesbian,” “bisexual,” “gay,” “transgender,” “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” and related terms are no longer accessible on WhiteHouse.gov, and the search term “LGBTQ” now brings up zero results on the site. In addition, some LGBTQ-specific pages have been taken down from the Centers for Disease Control, Department of State, and more. GLAAD will continue to monitor federal agency websites in the coming days and weeks to track any LGBTQ-related webpage takedowns.
The Journal of the International AIDS Society states,
While the current U.S. administration’s regressive policies target “gender ideology” and DEI, they are having a much broader impact that is silencing and erasing research on health and disparities among LGBTQI+ people and among racial and ethnic minorities. The mass defunding of LGBTQI+‐related programming supported by USAID and other U.S. government programmes, massive layoffs and funding cuts at CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention and USAID, and the promotion of homophobic and transphobic policies will exacerbate HIV epidemics globally.
Check out the ACLU’s page on LGBTQ Rights
National Women’s Law Center weighs in on Project 2025’s attempt to demonize the LGBTQI+ community
Remember when the Trump Administration ordered the termination of the National LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Lifeline?
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