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LGBT Tech Statement on The Next Four Years

LGBT Tech Team

Please attribute the following statement to LGBT Tech.


Not even 24 hours into the new administration, a series of executive orders have taken aim at LGBTQ+ individuals and other marginalized groups, threatening the hard-won rights and safety of millions across the United States. LGBT Tech stands firm in our mission to empower and uplift LGBTQ+ individuals, ensuring our community has the tools, resources, and access they need to thrive—especially in times of adversity and uncertainty.

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Among many alarming policy changes is an executive order erasing transgender and non-binary people from federal recognition. Misleadingly titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism,” this order advances a rigid and exclusionary definition of sex and gender that contradicts decades of medical consensus, historical evidence, and lived experiences. It legitimizes harmful narratives that embolden discrimination, and threatens access to affirming healthcare, housing, education, and employment.


In addition, the sudden dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts at the FCC will suppress marginalized voices by eliminating programs designed to create equity and opportunity for them. These initiatives have been instrumental in allowing underrepresented communities a role in the decision-making processes that impact them. Furthermore, many of these efforts, including the now-eliminated FCC’s CEDC (Communications Equity and Diversity Council) worked on issues much broader than DEI, for example addressing areas of improvement for persons with disabilities. This directive is a regressive step, one that will leave so many communities without a seat at the table.

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While cruel and backwards, attacks against our community are not unexpected. From book burnings to Anita Bryant, the Lavender Scare to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the LGBTQ+ community has long faced efforts to silence and isolate us. Attacks on our expression and identity are not new—but neither is our resistance. Time and again, we have grown in size and strength, carved out spaces of joy and solidarity, and built vibrant, inclusive communities. Today, the tens of millions of LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States alone outnumber the populations of nearly every state.


Our voices, identities, and contributions are woven into the fabric of this nation, and no policy can erase that truth.


It is clear that this administration will continue to attempt to dismantle hard-won protections and deny our existence, and that physical spaces will continue to grow hostile or inaccessible for many. We have faced attempts to write us out of existence before, and each time, we have proven that our community cannot be erased.


Digital spaces will be amongst some of our most vital lifelines, allowing us to find each other, organize for change, access affirming resources, and celebrate who we are. These spaces will allow us to resist isolation, build solidarity, and create moments of joy and advocacy. Now, more than ever, protecting equitable and non discriminatory access to these digital platforms—and the privacy, safety, and security that make them accessible—will be essential to ensuring our community’s resilience and strength.


To our community: stay connected, stay informed, and above all, stay hopeful.


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The work ahead is immense, but we will face it together. Technology remains a powerful tool for finding each other and fighting for progress. At LGBT Tech, we remain steadfast in our policy and programs work alike, committed to ensuring technology continues to be a force for safety, dignity, and equality for LGBTQ+ individuals everywhere.




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