June 21, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Trump is ‘nightmare waiting to happen,’ say int’l LGBTQ rights groups

donald-trumpBY MICHAEL LAVERS  |  LGBT activists from overseas who took part in a panel at Freedom House in Northwest D.C. on Monday said they remain deeply concerned about a Donald Trump presidency.

“Donald Trump is a nightmare waiting to happen,” said Monica Tabengwa, executive director of Pan Africa ILGA, a group that advocates on behalf of LGBT and intersex people across Africa.

Tabengwa said in response to the Washington Blade’s question about the global impact of the U.S. presidential election that wars and other conflicts have displaced millions around the world. She also noted people are “getting on a boat” in hopes of reaching Europe.

“What does it mean to have the United States . . . having such a possibility that the president will be someone who will shut the door down and won’t allow these people to come,” said Tabengwa. “It’s a worrying thing.”

Rhetoric reduces ‘space’ for LGBT Muslims
The Human Rights Campaign and other LGBT advocacy groups sharply criticized Trump last December over his proposed ban on Muslims from entering the U.S.

The Republican billionaire announced his proposal in the wake of terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, Calif., and Paris for which the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility. Trump reiterated his call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S. in the days after the June 12 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla.

The gunman, who was born in New York to parents from Afghanistan, pledged his allegiance to ISIS. Officials maintain there is no indication the Sunni extremist group ordered him to carry out the massacre at the gay nightclub that left 49 people dead and 53 others injured.

Trump in August said his administration would subject potential immigrants to the U.S. to “extreme vetting” and require them to pass an “ideological test” with questions about LGBT rights. He would also temporarily ban immigrants “from some of the most dangerous and most volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism.”

U.S. Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Sean Patrick Maloney are among the Democrats who voted for a bill in the wake of last November’s Paris terrorist attacks that sought to suspend the resettlement of Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the U.S. The Trump campaign continues to assert the Clinton Foundation has accepted millions of dollars from countries that execute men accused of sodomy by throwing them off of buildings, even though ISIS is the only governing entity to have done so.

Urooj Arshad of the Washington-based Advocates for Youth said Trump’s rhetoric has created “increased polarization against” Muslims and justification for Islamic fundamentalism in her native Pakistan and other countries. Arshad also said the proposed ban on Muslim immigrants to the U.S. after the Pulse nightclub massacre and the debate over burkini swimsuit bans in France are indicative of the rise in what she described as “right-wing populist” movements in the U.S. and Europe.

“Anyone who is an LGBTI person who’s also Muslim, it reduces the space for them to exist anywhere in the world,” said Arshad.

“That’s what me and my friends talk about,” she added. “Where are we supposed to go and how come we can’t live in Pakistan full time? We can’t here based on what’s going on with Trump.”

Mark Bromley, chair of the Council for Global Equality, also noted Trump has cited anti-LGBT violence from ISIS and other extremist groups in the Middle East on the campaign trail. Bromley said the Republican billionaire has “used that in a way as rhetoric to justify very anti-refugee, anti-Muslim” policies.

“That’s a disturbing sort of argument that we see perculating out there,” said Bromley.
‘More people are used to’ Clinton

Hillary Clinton supporters are quick to point out she delivered her “gay rights are human rights” speech in Geneva in 2011.

Clinton, who was secretary of state at the time, gave the landmark address on the same day the Obama administration directed government agencies that implement U.S. foreign policy to promote LGBT rights abroad. Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, opposed these efforts when he was a member of the House of Representatives.

Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo in August criticized Clinton after emails revealed the Clinton Foundation accepted millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia — in which those convicted of consensual same-sex sexual relations face the death penalty — and other countries with anti-LGBT rights records. Clinton’s supporters were quick to note the Clinton Foundation has fought HIV/AIDS and funded other efforts around the world.

“More people are used to her,” said Tabengwa, referring to Clinton. “She’s been in the system for a long time. She’s been with the Obama administration.”

— Special to The Pride LA from the Washington Blade and the National Gay Media Association

Related Posts

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...

LA City Councilwomen Yaroslavsky and Jurado Call for Legal Action Against Federal Immigration Raids

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

City Motion Targets Alleged Unconstitutional Tactics, End Qualified Immunity for Fed Officers  City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Ysabel Jurado introduced...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

Princess Diana’s Largest Wardrobe Auction Set for Beverly Hills

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Over 200 Royal Garments to Hit the Auction Block for Charity More than 200 garments and royal artifacts, including the...

Queer Beauty Through the Ages: Getty Hosts Lecture on Greek Art’s Influence on LGBTQ Aesthetics

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Art Historian to Trace Homoerotic Imagery From Ancient Greece to Modern Queer Identity As part of its ongoing Pride Month...

Food Fight on the Venice Boardwalk: Chefs Stand Up for Immigrants with Food

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Turk’s Pizza Party Rallies Top Local Eateries for an Immigrant Rights Fundraiser In a bold display of culinary activism, Turk’s...

Navy Vietnam Vet Finally Gets His UCLA Commencement Moment

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

John Fong, 80, Missed His Graduation in 1968 While in Vietnam  Nearly six decades after completing his studies, U.S. Navy...

Films, Flair, and Panoramas: Free Cultural Events Light Up The Ebell This Week

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

The Ebell Theatre Hosts a Double Feature of Films, Plus a Coffee Talk A pair of free public events this...

Nightly I-405 Lane Closures Begin June 23 for Sepulveda Pass Rehab

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Caltrans Will Shut Down Select Lanes Nightly Through June 28 The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced overnight lane...

Newsom Slams Federal Shutdown of LGBTQ Youth Suicide Lifeline, Promises California Will Step Up

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

California Pledges Expanded Mental Health Access and Continued Crisis Services. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday sharply criticized the Trump...

Frankie Grande Unleashes Dancefloor-Ready “Boys” Remix by Felix Jaehn Ahead of Pride Album Drop

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

LGBTQ+ Multi-Hyphenate Debuts a High-Energy Remix, Unveils the Tracklist for His Upcoming Album Frankie Grande has released a high-energy remix...

9th Circuit Court Backs Trump in Battle Over California National Guard Control

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Federal Judges Allow Trump to Retain Command of Troops in Los Angeles Federal judges on Thursday cleared the way for...

(Video) A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

For More Information, Go to Aplustree.com For More Information, Go to https://t.co/3PhU1J5wOj pic.twitter.com/1AWITi5NFw — Palisades News (@PalisadesNewsLA) June 19, 2025

Pizza Girl Brings Clean, Classic Italian Pizza to West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

Founder Caroline D’Amore opens “Pink and Mortar” shop at Hotel Ziggy Pizza Girl is now open at its new brick-and-mortar...

Foodie Week Returns to Westfield Century City With 10 Days of Irresistible Dining Deals

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

25 Restaurants Are Serving Up Exclusive Offers, Prix-Fixe Menus,  Limited-Time Treats Westfield Century City is kicking off its annual Foodie...