Anti-LGBT activists are thrilled that Trump axed White House Pride celebrations
Homophobes are overjoyed that Donald Trump has ended official Proclamations for LGBT Pride Month.
The Republican billionaire has abolished the annual Pride Month proclamation which was issued by Barack Obama, and has shelved the Pride festivities at the White House.
The Republican leader released proclamations marking June as “National Homeownership Month”, “National Ocean Month”, “African-American Music Appreciation Month” and “Great Outdoors Month” – but no such Proclamation was released for LGBT Pride Month.
The move has gone down well with anti-LGBT groups, with the Family Research Council calling on him to go further and ban all Pride celebrations within the government.
The anti-LGBT Family Research Council praised Trump for “refusing to declare June LGBT pride month”.
In a blog post they called for him to “step in and put a stop to a display that puts a sexual fringe on the same pole as Old Glory” across government.
They wrote: “Today, the Pentagon carried on a tradition President Obama began in 2012, holding a special ‘pride’ event at the same time that other military leaders are ready to turn the page on eight years of social engineering.
“It was a disappointing development for conservatives, who thought they had an ally in new Defense Secretary James Mattis.
“It’s time for Donald Trump to take a wrecking ball to the LGBT distractions of his predecessor and turn the page on policies that offend more people than they ‘honor’.”
The Pentagon and State Department have both made public acknowledgements of Pride Month, despite the lack of White House proclamation.
The US Secretary of State, wealthy former oil exec Rex Tillerson, released a statement in support of Pride Month.
In his statement, Tillerson said human rights would “continue to drive US diplomacy”, despite failing to bring up the persecution of gay people in his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He wrote: “In recognition of LGBTI Month, the Department of State affirms its solidarity with the human rights defenders and civil society organizations working around the world to uphold the fundamental freedoms of LGBTI persons to live with dignity and freedom.
“We also recognize that LGBTI persons continue to face the threat of violence and discrimination. Violence and discrimination targeting any vulnerable group undermines our collective security as well as American values.
“When all persons are protected on the basis of equality and with dignity, global stability is strengthened. We will continue to support the human rights of LGBTI persons together with like-minded governments, businesses, and civil society organizations globally.
“The United States remains committed to human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons.
“Dignity and equality for all persons are among our founding constitutional principles, and these principle continue to drive U.S. diplomacy.”
Related: This is how to get the Pride emoji reaction on Facebook
