Stonewall Inn's Stacy Lentz Criticizes Trump Administration's Removal of LGBTQ+ Symbols.
Stacy Lentz, the co-owner of the historic Stonewall Inn, has voiced her deep concerns over the recent actions of the Trump Administration, particularly its move to erase LGBTQ+ symbols from the Stonewall Inn National Monument website. The monument, which became the first national park honoring LGBTQ+ civil rights in 2016, is at the heart of the fight for LGBTQ+ equality.
Lentz, who is also the CEO of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, said, "It feels like they're trying to erase the history and do it in our own house." She was referring to a disturbing change on the National Park Service website, where LGBTQ+ symbols and letters were removed.
The site initially displayed the letters “LGBTQ+” to represent the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other identities, but by Thursday afternoon, the "T" was removed, leaving “LGBQ+.” By Thursday night, even the “Q” and the “+” had been taken down, leaving just “LGB civil rights.” The National Park Service explained that the change was part of the Trump administration's executive order recognizing only two genders, along with an Interior Department memo that abolished Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
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"This decision to essentially erase us from their website perfectly aligns with Donald Trump and his sycophants' attempts to erase us from public view," said Angelica Christina, a trans woman and board director at the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. Christina also added that the administration's actions serve as "a distraction from the real crimes" occurring in the White House, mentioning concerns over Elon Musk's access to private financial data and Social Security numbers.
The Stonewall Inn, famous as the site of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, holds great significance for the LGBTQ+ community. The riots, sparked by police raids on gay bars, were a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, with trans women of color like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera playing central roles. Lentz expressed, "So to come into the birthplace of Pride as a government entity and try to erase an entire part of our community is appalling, alarming, and we must make sure this doesn't continue."
Governor Kathy Hochul echoed the sentiment, calling the actions "just cruel and petty."
Clark Wolff Hamel, Executive Director of PFLAG NYC, called the removal of LGBTQ+ symbols "tragic," adding that it was a part of a broader pattern of anti-LGBTQ+ actions under the Trump administration.
Hamel, who identifies as a trans man, has been involved in protests against the cancellation of gender-affirming care for minors, and expressed hope upon hearing that a federal judge temporarily halted Trump's efforts to cut funding for hospitals providing such care.
"It's showing that yes, this is unconstitutional, yes, this is discriminatory," Hamel said. "Federal judges are not going to sit back and allow this to happen, which brings me some hope."
In response to the erosion of LGBTQ+ rights, Annie Bohm, senior policy counsel with the NYCLU, emphasized the importance of continued advocacy: "We are hopeful this is another arrow in the quiver to give folks confidence to provide the care."
At a City Council meeting, members Erik Bottcher, Tiffany Caban, and Lynn Schulman urged action against what they perceive as a direct attack on LGBTQ+ rights. Bottcher remarked, "The Trump Administration has made clear that they are targeting anyone who is not a straight, white, cisgender, Christian male in our country."
In the face of these developments, advocates and community leaders like Lentz and Christina are committed to ensuring that the LGBTQ+ community's history, rights, and representation are never erased, no matter the political forces at play.
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