In a controversial move to secure federal funding, Arlington has decided to strip its nondiscrimination ordinance of LGBTQ+ protections.
The queer media advocacy group GLAAD has documented that Donald Trump has targeted the LGBTQ+ community on at least 426 occasions during his time in office. Recently, he issued an executive order prohibiting transgender women and girls from participating in the Olympics, despite the fact that only one transgender woman has qualified for the games in the past 22 years.
Arlington’s city council has become the first major city in the United States to adopt such a controversial stance, voting 5-4 against reinstating LGBTQ+ protections in its antidiscrimination ordinance. Proponents of the decision argue that existing state and federal protections are sufficient for the safety of queer residents. However, opponents highlight the importance of local support and assert that reinstating these protections would not incur any costs to Arlington taxpayers.
The council’s decision appears to have been influenced by the White House’s threat to withdraw federal funding from cities that fail to comply with federal antidiscrimination laws. Arlington risked losing over $60 million in federal funds as a result of this policy.
Many institutions, including colleges, major media organizations, and law firms, are also capitulating to federal pressure for financial support. This coercive tactic resembles the actions of a tyrant rather than those of a democratically elected leader. The current political climate in America increasingly resembles a troubling shift away from its previously strong, antifascist identity.
Recent polls indicate that Trump’s approval rating is significantly low, with disapproval rates exceeding 60%. This marks one of the lowest net approval ratings for a president midway through their second term since the 1940s, exceeded only by the notorious Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal.
Trump’s dismal approval ratings are primarily driven by concerns about the economy. In a recent underwhelming speech in Pennsylvania, rather than addressing economic issues, he reiterated his familiar grievances, including a controversial statement about families needing only two dolls for Christmas. He has yet to confront important economic challenges such as sluggish GDP growth, rising long-term unemployment, high living costs, stagnant wages for non-college graduates, and increasing household debt amid a waning labor market.
Moreover, the White House has withheld critical economic data, including government reports on inflation and unemployment. Instead, they maintain a facade of economic success, insisting that there is no need to present evidence. Inflation has been on the rise monthly since Trump’s inauguration, following a three-year low under former President Joe Biden. The decrease in gas prices can be attributed to a faltering economy, and lower interest rates are linked to increasing unemployment.
The suspension of Arlington’s entire antidiscrimination ordinance remains in effect, leaving various groups, including those based on race and religion, without protections.
A conservative advocacy group, Texas Values, supported the city council’s decision, stating that the removal of terms like “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” was necessary for compliance with federal directives and newly enacted state legislation, such as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, which recently took effect.
This opinion piece represents the views of the editorial board and does not reflect the stance of any affiliated organizations. For submissions, please contact Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com.
