Queerly Beloved // Gem Sheps

In 2014, former President Obama issued Executive Order 13673, which required companies and employers to prove that they were compliant with federal workplace policies. It was signed alongside Executive Order 13672, which provided federal protection of LGBTQ+ employees against discrimination.

Until March 27, employers had to provide documentation of their anti-discrimination policies as proof of their federal compliance. Unsurprisingly, however, President Trump has rescinded Executive Order 13673. Though federal protections are still in place for LGBTQ+ employees, it’s now much harder to enforce those protections in the workplace.

The retraction of Executive Order 13673 also affects people with disabilities, people of color, and people of religious minorities. By no longer requiring proof of anti-discrimination policies, the government is essentially providing a loophole for discriminatory employers to continue treating employees of minorities unfairly.

This is a huge step backward for federal equality. The same fears that LGBTQ+ people had over three years ago are returning. Though gay people can still get married, they now have to worry again about being fired for being in a same-gender relationship. Transgender people are afraid to come out and those who are already out are at risk of losing their jobs.

Rescinding Executive Order 13673 is likely to have a stronger effect in less liberal states (i.e. the deep south), but people of minorities are at risk all over the nation.

Trump’s method of indirectly attacking minorities by allowing other people to discriminate against them is so unbelievably cowardly. He maintains his promises of not explicitly taking away minorities’ rights while subtextually encouraging others to take advantage of the loopholes that allow them to cause harm.

It’s disgusting and it’s wrong, and I’m honestly shocked that he is somehow still in office.