So, Trump is President – What Can Australia’s LGBTQIA+ Community Do Now?

So… that didn’t quite go how we’d hoped, did it? Whether you spent all day glued to live updates or hid under the covers hoping it would all go away, by now, we’re all aware and having to acknowledge that Donald Trump is in fact going to be the President of the United States. Again. And just like last time, a wave of despair has blanketed the LGBTQIA+ community.

Everyone I know is walking through the day after the election in a kind of fugue state. Messages bounce back and forth; “How are you doing?”, “Is there anything you need?”, “How are you taking care of yourself today?”.

It reminds me of the early days of lockdown, except this time we’re messaging our friends overseas, instead of the other way around.

The world is irrevocably changed (again), and we’re bracing for the unknown. But the truth is, this isn’t completely unknown: 47 and his cronies have been very clear about their plans.

We know just how ineffective he can be from last time – and just how much damage he managed to inflict even then. Now, with a loosely-knotted rat king of cartoon villains including RFK Jr and Elon Musk by his side, Trump has the power to deal more huge blows to the hard-won rights of women, immigrants, disabled, economically disadvantaged and LGBTQIA+ Americans. 

Why should LGBTQIA+ Australians care about Donald Trump being President?

So — it’s very sad and awful, and frankly exhausting, but why should we as LGBTQIA+ people be worried about a Trump presidency in Australia? We didn’t vote for the guy, it’s not our fault, so it isn’t our problem, right? Wrong.

The fact is that we’ve been importing the worst elements of American politics for years. We may sit on our high horse because gun control and Medicare make us different and special, but all the signs are there.

We ordered the knockoff version of American conservatism, and it’s coming for our community first. The queer community is the canary in the coal mine and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling mighty lightheaded.

If you think about the recent local backlash against Drag Storytime (see HERE and HERE), against Queer Literature and LGBTQIA+ books being banned (see HERE, HERE and HERE) against Youth Pride Events (see HERE) they all sound exactly like 47 and his gang, just with a nasal Aussie twang.

America was the test drive, and Trump’s given the global conservative movement a full tank of gas and all the proof they need to drive all the rights we fought for straight into the ground.

So, what can the LGBTQIA+ community in Australia do?

So what can we do? Come together to support one another.

First, we double down on supporting the most vulnerable members in the LGBTQIA+ communities. We are strongest when we take care of each other, and every one of us has the right to be a part of that movement.

There are so many worthy and hardworking organisations fighting for our queer family, both here and abroad – like ACON, Thorne Harbour, Minus 18, Transgender Victoria, Transcend Australia, Equality Australia, Clean Air Naarm, BlaQ, QLife, and many, many more — who stand up against conservatism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and the dozen other horses of the bigotry brigade.

Support their work, whether that be with your time, money, knowledge, connections, energy or voice.

Put your hand up to organise, make calls, write emails, cook meals or help transport those for whom mobility is a factor in accessing political action and social connection.

Sometimes the most powerful actions are small – helping a conservative friend, colleague or family member to see another perspective. And if that isn’t safe or feasible to do, there are a thousand other ways that you can contribute to the causes that matter.

Most importantly, we have to listen to the most marginalised members of our communities when they ask for support: mask up for the immune compromised, help organisations and individuals seeking support to close the gaps left by a lack of government funding, and show up for our community whenever and however you can.

The fight continues, and we can’t let despair turn to complacency

As Kamala Harris said in her concession speech: “While I concede this election I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign.”

We cannot allow our despair about the future Trump presidency to turn to despondency or complacency.

The US conservative movement has a lot of hot air beneath their wings, and we cannot allow them to migrate here with their dangerous visions for a future where we don’t exist.