President Donald Trump vowed to end "transgender lunacy." In the first few days of his second presidency, he showed his own lunacy instead.

His policies are aimed at breaking the spirit of our Transgender community, denying them basic human dignity and in many cases, endangering their lives. In addition, many LGBTQ+ immigrants are facing the reality of being deported to countries that are openly hostile to their existence, potentially lethally. News broke this week that Trump plans to house up to 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo Bay — the base used following the 9/11 attacks with a disturbing legacy of torture. Furthermore, he denies the historical reality that has created income inequality for Black and Indigenous people and minorities of color.

Trump's careless disregard for human life was spotlighted this week when he put a freeze on federal funding, causing chaos throughout many agencies. Medicaid portals across the country went dark. After numerous states sued, the White House abruptly rescinded it, but its press secretary took to social media to insist it "remains in full force." We can only hope the dysfunction that's reminiscent of Trump's first term will hinder him and his allies in the Capitol from making progress on their sinister agenda: to undermine every institution that protects, defends, and uplifts minorities in America.

As expected, Trump also unleashed a flurry of unlawful executive orders during his first few days back. We expect that our courts will fulfill their duty to uphold the rule of law, yet Trump will seek to upend their authority and grow support for his efforts to undermine them. And he hopes to overwhelm our sensibility with his sheer brutality, hoping to elicit our surrender.

Recognizing the resilience of our LGBTQ+ community and our readership over the course of our 50-year history, the SGN has adopted the slogan "Pride over fear since 1974." As the third-oldest LGBTQ+ newspaper in the US, we've seen and documented this before. We know that when we stand together, we win in the end.

Some of our advertisers may realign their media strategies for "new market realities," but we will persevere. We will continue to keep you informed, ensure that you are prepared, and inspire you to push through these next four, long years.

With that said, we are a newspaper. Here is the latest on Trump's anti-LGBTQ+ tyranny:

"Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government"

Signed on his first day in office, this order declares that there are only two sexes: male and female. It states that gender identity "reflects a fully internal and subjective sense of self, disconnected from biological reality and sex and existing on an infinite continuum, that does not provide a meaningful basis for identification and cannot be recognized as a replacement for sex."

The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management will force government-issued identification documents, like passports, Global Entry cards, and visas, to reflect either of the two declared sexes. Transgender women will be inappropriately removed from women's prisons into all-male facilities.

The order will also "ensure that no Federal funds are expended for any medical procedure, treatment, or drug for the purpose of conforming an inmate's appearance to that of the opposite sex," and "ensure the freedom to express the binary nature of sex and the right to single-sex spaces in workplaces and federally funded entities covered by the Civil Rights Act of 1964."

All federal agencies are required to remove all educational documents that are inconsistent with this order, including both English and Spanish versions of the "US Department of Education Supporting LGBTQI+ Youth and Families in School" and "Confronting Anti-LGBTQI+ Harassment in Schools: A Resource for Students and Families."

"Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation"

Signed on January 28, this executive order accuses medical professionals of "maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child's sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions."

It states that puberty blockers, sex hormones, and surgical procedures are "chemical and surgical mutilation." Under this order, children of active-duty servicemembers can no longer receive any form of gender-affirming care.

According to the text, "The Attorney General shall convene States' Attorneys General and other law enforcement officers to coordinate the enforcement of laws against female genital mutilation across all American States and Territories..."

The attorney general also will "prioritize investigations and take appropriate action to end child-abusive practices by so-called sanctuary States that facilitate stripping custody from parents who support the healthy development of their own children, including by considering the application of the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act and recognized constitutional rights."

If Trump so desires, he could use his executive power to send the Armed Forces and the National Guard to rip Trans youth away from their families who support their transition journey.

Trump's order states that the administration will do whatever it takes to end "chemical and surgical mutilation," which may include limiting Medicaid and Medicare coverage for those seeking gender-affirming care.

Executive Order 14075 rescinded

Trump rescinded Executive Order 14075, also called "Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals." This order worked to address discriminatory and harmful state and local legislative attacks on Queer youth and families relating to medically necessary care. It directed the Department of Education to support LGBTQI+ students, families, and school staff targeted by harmful laws.

It directed the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reduce youth's exposure risk to conversion therapy through public awareness and the refusal of federal funding for such programs.

This order also safeguarded access to healthcare and supports for all Queer people, and helped states expand access to gender-affirming care. It worked to stop LGBTQI+ homelessness and housing instability, and strengthened supports for LGBTQ+ elders, like health disparities and social isolation.

With the recision of Executive Order 14075, we may see a restart in federal funding for conversion therapy camps. We will see a rollback of supportive services, like counseling and LGBTQ+-affirming mental health care. Without this order, discrimination and barriers LGBTQI+ people face in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems will rise once again.

We can expect to see a spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the nation and less support for LGBTQ+ students in schools and educational facilities.

Executive Order 14020 rescinded

This order established the White House Gender Policy Council, and said that "the full participation of all people — including women and girls — across all aspects of our society is essential to the economic well-being, health, and security of our Nation and of the world."

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) will no longer be promoted across the federal and military workforce, and the work to increase comprehensive healthcare service access, including sexual and reproductive rights, will not move forward.

Executive Order 14004 rescinded and ban on Trans service members

Also known as "Enabling All Qualified Americans to Serve Their Country in Uniform" and enacted by the Biden administration, the order states that gender identity shall not prevent any person from serving in the military. The recision, however, signed by a five-time draft dodger, could ban Transgender men and women from joining or serving in the Armed Forces.

On January 27, Trump signed the "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness" order, which states that mental and physical health conditions may result in time away from duty. Furthermore, it says, "Consistent with the military mission and longstanding [Department of Defense] policy, expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service" and that it conflicts with a service member's "commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life."

This order will prevent Transgender people from enlisting in the Armed Forces, and Transgender women already serving will be banned from using women's sleeping, changing, and bathing facilities. This is to be implemented within 60 days of the order's date.

The reality in Washington state

While these efforts will inevitably impact Washingtonians, we live in one of the safest states in the country for LGBTQ+ Americans. For the first time in history, Washington has two LGBTQ+ legislators as majority leaders in both the House and the Senate, and Gov. Bob Ferguson has long defended LGBTQ+ freedoms, particularly against the first Trump administration. Likewise, Attorney General Nick Brown has already pushed back against Trump's order that seeks to overturn birthright citizenship, and he has spoken in favor of LGBTQ+ equality in the past.

The SGN Editorial Board comprises Publisher Renee Raketty, Editor Hannah Saunders, Digital Engagement Editor Aisha Misbah, Staff Writer Lindsey Anderson, and rotating members of the SGN staff.