LGBTQI+ Rights Under Threat from Federal Rollbacks

LGBTQ+ communities across the U.S. are feeling the pressure. Since January 20, 2025, a wave of federal rollbacks has hit hard, taking back protections that many fought years to secure. From healthcare to schools to the military, these changes are having real, damaging effects.

On day one, President Trump canceled two major executive orders that helped fight discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans. These included policies that protected people in healthcare, housing, and education, and supported data collection to track LGBTQ+ health trends. The White House Gender Policy Council was also shut down.

Without these protections in place, federal agencies no longer have to consider LGBTQ+ needs. There is less oversight, less accountability, and fewer ways to fight discrimination when it happens. Progress that took years is being rolled back in weeks.

Targeting Gender-Affirming Care

The administration has cracked down on gender-affirming care, especially for transgender youth. New rules block Medicaid, TRICARE, and other federal programs from covering this care for minors. The VA is cutting it too, leaving only a few exceptions.

Ian / Unsplash / Doctors and clinics are pausing services. They fear losing funding if they keep helping trans patients.

That means many young people are suddenly without the care they need. Depression, anxiety, and suicide risks have spiked.

Big cuts have hit programs that serve LGBTQ+ people. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program can no longer fund gender-affirming care. DEI efforts and LGBTQ+-specific mental health services have been stripped of funding. Even global HIV programs like PEPFAR are on the chopping block in the new budget.

Major LGBTQ+ organizations are struggling to stay open. Some have already started cutting services. A few court rulings have temporarily saved parts of the funding, but nothing is secure.

Legal Pushback Offers Hope, But Not Certainty

Lawsuits are flying. Courts have blocked parts of these rollbacks for now, calling them unconstitutional. In California, one judge ruled that stripping funds from programs promoting “gender ideology” likely breaks the law.

Still, court orders are only temporary. The administration is fighting back, and it is not clear how long protections will hold. These lawsuits give the community a lifeline, but it is a shaky one.

The Department of Education is targeting schools that support transgender students. Investigations have been launched against districts with inclusive policies. Book bans are spreading. LGBTQ+ topics are getting erased from classrooms.

This leaves queer students feeling isolated and unsafe. They are more likely to be bullied, outed without consent, or pushed into silence.

Yana / Unsplash / Transgender people are no longer allowed to serve openly in the military. That is a full reversal of earlier policies that supported their service.

At the same time, LGBTQ+ asylum seekers are getting caught up in harsh immigration rules. One recent case involved a gay man from Jamaica being detained during a check-in.

These changes carry serious consequences. Trans service members are being discharged without benefits. LGBTQ+ immigrants risk being sent back to countries where they could face violence or even death.

However, the State Department has dropped the ball. It is stopped mentioning LGBTQ+ rights in human rights reports and won’t use the term “gender” in international documents. This move tells other countries that the U.S. no longer prioritizes LGBTQ+ rights abroad.

Plus, the administration has ended data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity in key federal programs. That includes Medicaid and other public health efforts. Without data, it is harder to track health disparities or plan programs that actually help.