Since Trump’s inauguration rumors have been circulating of possible plans to rescind President Obama’s executive order that bans anti-LGBT discrimination by companies that hold contracts with the government. Many also believe that Trump will replace this executive order with a “religious freedom” order that would essentially allow companies to discriminate on the grounds of religious freedom.
At a press briefing on Monday, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary avoided a question from a reporter from The Washington Blade regarding the rumors.
“I’m not getting ahead of the executive orders that we may or may not issue,” said Spicer. “There’s a lot of executive orders, a lot of things the president has talked about and will continue to fulfill, but we have nothing on that front now.”
Many are worried that Trump will sign an order similar to Vice President Mike Pence’s “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” which he signed as governor of Indiana. This bill allowed Indiana businesses to legally discriminate against LGBTQ customers on the basis of religious freedom.
JoDee Winterhof, the senior vice president for policy and political affairs at the Human Rights Campaign addressed these rumors in a statement put out Monday.
“The rumors of an anti-LGBTQ executive action by President Trump are deeply troubling. We already know that he is willing to target and marginalize at-risk communities for his perceived political gain. As the president and his team plan their next steps, we want to make one thing clear: we won’t give one inch when it comes to defending equality, whether it is a full-on frontal assault or an attack under the guise of religion. Mike Pence should know that better than anyone given his track record in Indiana. The Human Rights Campaign will stand with those who have already been targeted by this administration and are prepared to fight tooth and nail against every effort to discriminate,” said Winterhof.
As of now, none of these rumors have been confirmed or directly addressed by White House officials.
