Michael Vadon via Flickr

This is a massive step back for LGBTQ+ rights

Donald Trump and his Department of Health and Human Services are making it legal for government-funded organizations to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community.

The rule, which was first introduced in 2019, was made official this past Thursday.

“Given the careful balancing of rights, obligations, and goals in the public-private partnerships in federal grant programs, the department believes it appropriate to impose only those nondiscrimination requirements required by the Constitution and federal statutes applicable to the department’s grantee’s.” the 86 page release reads.

The new rule will replace the previous regulation that was in place that made it illegal for federal funding programs to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

With this new rule in place, same-sex marriages and same-sex couples looking to adopt are at risk.

This regulation is part of the myriad of troubling decisions Trump and his administration have made over the past four years.

The president’s decision to appoint extremely conservative and anti-LGBTQ+ judges are the prime examples of how dangerous his choices are.

In a report from LGBTQ+ advocacy group Lambda Legal, the presidents’ judicial choices will have a lasting effect on LGBTQ+ rights in the years to come.

Lambda Legal CEO, Kevin Jennings, states: “While Donald Trump’s presidency may be coming to end, his devasting impact on our federal courts will take decades to reverse.”

He continued: “When the basic human rights of LGBTQ+ Americans are so often challenged in court, we cannot accept a judiciary stacked with judges who would disenfranchise these vulnerable groups.”

With only two weeks left of his presidency, Donald Trump is making sure to leave a terrifying “legacy” no one will forget.