By Anthony Corona
Imagine waking up on your birthday and being told you don’t exist. Worse yet, that you never
existed. And moving forward, you won’t have a place here. Imagine visiting the legendary Stonewall National Monument—the site where a courageous rebellion ignited a movement—only to find out that your identity has been erased. That is the Valentine’s Day present millions of Americans are waking up to on a day that’s supposed to celebrate love.
A Systematic Erasure The National Park Service (NPS) has removed references to transgender and queer individuals from the Stonewall National Monument’s website. The site, which previously acknowledged “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+)” individuals, now only refers to “lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)” persons.[¹] This erasure is not accidental. It aligns with an executive order signed by Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, directing federal agencies to define sex strictly as male or female. As a result, transgender identities are being systematically removed from government documents, websites, and policies.[²] This isn’t just about a website. This is about stripping away identity, history, and rights. The Plan to Divide and Destroy This administration is attacking not just the LGBTQIA+ community, but also the disability community, civil rights protections, and any person or group that does not fit into its narrow, regressive vision of America. Government entities are being pressured to erase transgender, nonbinary, and questioning individuals from existence. Corporations and private entities are being encouraged to do the same. This is a strategy as old as fascism itself: erase identities, pit communities against one another, demonize differences, and encourage hatred and violence. The ultimate goal? To divide, conquer, and consolidate power in the hands of the few. A Theocracy in the Making
For many of us in the LGBTQIA+ community, just turning on the news or opening our phones is an act of horror. Why? Because every day, another piece of our existence is being legislated out of public life, all under the guise of “Christian values” and “purity.” This should horrify all of us. Make no mistake—Trump does not believe in God. Trump believes he is God. And unless you bow to him, you are the enemy.
First, they came for the migrants and the immigrants. Then, they came for the disabled. Now, they’re coming for the LGBTQIA+ community. And next? It’s only a matter of time before women are forced back into the kitchen, barefoot, barred from the workplace, and stripped of autonomy over their own bodies. This administration is laying the groundwork for a tiered citizenship system. Who will be deemed a “true American” next? Will it be determined by skin color? National origin? Religious affiliation? The question isn’t if more groups will be targeted—it’s when.
A Playbook Right Out of 1930s Germany Right-wing politicians and MAGA extremists will deny it, but the truth is undeniable: Trump and his oligarchs are using the same propaganda tactics that fueled the Nazi movement. They are defining an “ideal citizen.” They are erasing those who don’t fit the mold. They are encouraging hatred and division. And they are daring us to look away. Look in the mirror. Shake your ancestry tree. If you are not a Putin, you are not safe. This is the moment to fight back. Because if we allow this erasure to continue, history tells us exactly where we’re headed. And by then, it will be too late.
Media Contact:
Anthony Corona (He/Him)
Vice President, Blind LGBT Pride International
Email: media@blindlgbtpride.org
For more information and to support BPI’s mission, visit www.bpi.gay.