Trump toured a civil rights museum as he axed trans kids’ civil rights protections
Trump spent Wednesday touring a civil rights museum – as his officials repealed guidance extending civil rights protections to transgender children.
Yesterday the Trump administration confirmed it had reversed a policy put in place by the Obama administration that extended civil rights laws to cover transgender people.
Obama officials had extended Title IX provisions, which have outlawed discrimination based on sex since 1972, to also protect gender identity.
This week Trump scrapped the Obama administration guidance, with his Press Secretary Sean Spicer explaining “certain issues like this are not best dealt with at the federal level” – giving a boost to states that want to pass anti-trans laws.
However, while the President’s administration was carrying out a brazen attack on civil rights protections for transgender people, Trump himself spent the morning touring a civil rights museum.
In his speech in the museum, he claimed: “This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms.”
Trump proceeded to quote Martin Luther King, saying: “We are determined to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
He added: “And that’s what it’s going to be. We’re going to bring this country together, maybe bring some of the world together, but we’re going to bring this country together.
“We have a divided country. It’s been divided for many, many years, but we’re going to bring it together.
“I hope every day of my presidency we will be honoring the determination and work towards a very worthy goal.”
Within just hours of his speech the guidelines paring back civil rights protections were confirmed.
Meanwhile the President tweeted: “Very much enjoyed my tour of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture…A great job done by amazing people!”
