LGBTQ groups offer support, advice in response to Trump election
In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election, several advocacy groups have sent out messages of support to the LGBTQ community, outlining next steps as well as advice on how to keep anxiety in check.
In a message sent on Wednesday, Erin Whelan, the executive director of SMYAL, a nonprofit serving LGBTQ youth in the D.C. area, acknowledged the “sadness, anger, and disappointment” of the results of the election, but struck a defiant tone. “Remember this: No decision, no law, no societal judgment can change who you are or the incredible strength you carry within you,” she said in the message.
When Whelan addressed LGBTQ youth specifically, she asked for them to keep hope, emphasizing the community’s resilience. “We come from a long line of organizers and activists who have fought for generations to protect our community.
We are, and will continue, to do this work with you,” she said. On the eve of election day, Narissa Rahaman, the executive director of Equality Virginia, a Virginia-based LGBTQ advocacy group, sent out a message titled “No matter the outcome –– we’ve got us.” In the message, she said the organization had heard from many community members “who are experiencing fear, anxiety, and even panic in anticipation of the election results, including some who are having trouble living with family members or around neighbors with whom they disagree politically.” She advised patience when waiting for results to come in due to more Americans voting by mail, and said Equality Virginia would always fight for the community and demand accountability and transparency from political leaders, no matter the outcome of the election.
