Equality Federation is deeply concerned that Donald Trump has surrounded himself with a team of individuals who actively support the denial of LGBTQ equality and promote racism, xenophobia, and misogyny. Together with our state-based equality group membership we are prepared to defend our hard-fought gains at every level.

One of the most concerning people Trump has chosen to associate with is Stephen Bannon, who has been announced as a chief strategist. Bannon has built his career on the promotion of white supremacy, sexism, anti-Semitism, and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.

Fran Hutchins, Deputy Director of Equality Federation said, “Appointing someone who has actively worked to undermine equality, fairness, and the gains of the Civil Rights Movement sends a chilling shockwave throughout so many communities. We will not be silent in our opposition to these decisions, and will fight tooth and nail to ensure the voices of the majority – people who support nondiscrimination – are heard and felt loud and clear.”  

In addition to appointing Bannon, a leaked list of potential cabinet appointees reads as a who’s who of anti-LGBTQ politicians and activists. Equality Federation will continue to monitor staff announcements and policy positions of the impending Trump Administration.

Update: Equality Federation soundly denounces the pick of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, a candidate who previous Republicans had rejected in years past as a potential federal judge due to concerns about his racist ideology.  In Congress, Sessions cosponsored the discriminatory First Amendment Defense Act, voted for a constitutional ban on marriage equality, voted against the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, and voted against the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. The list of his anti-LGBTQ votes and positions goes on and on.