In the spring of 2023, the Heritage Foundation quietly published a document that would later ignite a firestorm of controversy across the United States. Titled “Project 2025,” this 920-page manifesto outlines an ambitious plan for the potential future governance of America, should Donald Trump or another like-minded candidate return to the White House in 2025. Although initially overlooked by much of the mainstream media, Project 2025 has since come under intense scrutiny, especially for its proposals that appear to threaten the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ Americans.
A Blueprint for Radical Change
Project 2025, also known as the “2025 Presidential Transition Project,” presents a vision that could drastically alter the landscape of American governance, democracy, and civil rights. Among its more extreme recommendations are the abolition of the Department of Education, placing the Department of Justice under direct White House control, and the mass firing of federal civil servants to be replaced with loyalists aligned with the proposed administration’s ideology. These proposals have drawn bipartisan criticism, with many Americans expressing concern over the potential consequences for the rule of law and the preservation of democratic norms.
LGBTQ Rights in the Crosshairs
While Project 2025 touches on various aspects of governance, one of the most alarming aspects is its focus on LGBTQ issues. From the very first page, the document takes aim at the LGBTQ community, particularly transgender individuals. It falsely claims that “children suffer the toxic normalization of transgenderism” and accuses the LGBTQ community of pushing an agenda that allegedly corrupts American society.
One of the more controversial elements of Project 2025 is its proposal to erase terms related to sexual orientation and gender identity from federal documents, regulations, and legislation. The document advocates for the removal of terms such as “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” “diversity,” and “inclusion,” arguing that they infringe upon Americans’ First Amendment rights. LGBTQ advocacy groups have strongly condemned these proposals, warning that they would effectively erase the LGBTQ community from federal recognition and protections.
Wendy Via, president and co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, has been vocal in her opposition to Project 2025. “This is a systematic dehumanization and abuse of the LGBTQ community,” Via stated. “They want to erase us from existence in the eyes of the federal government, and that is both dangerous and unacceptable.”
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The Most Extreme Language Yet
The document’s most extreme language is reserved for transgender individuals. Project 2025 labels the “propagation of transgender ideology” as akin to “pornography” and calls for its outright banning. The document further claims that those who produce, distribute, or promote such material should be prosecuted and imprisoned, while educators and librarians who provide access to it should be classified as registered sex offenders.
LGBTQ advocates have pointed out the dangerous implications of equating transgender identity with obscenity. By drawing this connection, Project 2025 paves the way for potential legal actions against the LGBTQ community, under the guise of combating pornography. This linkage is seen as a deliberate attempt to criminalize LGBTQ identities and expressions.
Rachel Bitecofer, a political scientist and founder of the liberal organization Strike Pac, highlighted the insidious nature of these proposals. “What they’re doing is creating a narrative that being LGBTQ, especially transgender, is inherently obscene and harmful,” Bitecofer explained. “This isn’t just about pornography—it’s about stigmatizing an entire community and rolling back the progress we’ve made over the past decades.”
A Broader Agenda
The implications of Project 2025 extend beyond just the LGBTQ community. The document advocates for sweeping changes to American governance that would centralize power within the executive branch and dismantle various federal agencies and protections. Such proposals have led to widespread concern among civil rights organizations, legal experts, and the general public.
Despite attempts by Donald Trump to distance himself from Project 2025, his previous statements suggest a different story. At a Heritage Foundation dinner in 2022, Trump praised the initiative, saying, “This is a great group, and they’re going to lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do…to save America.” However, as the controversy surrounding the document has grown, Trump has attempted to downplay his involvement, stating that some of its elements are “seriously extreme” and claiming ignorance of its contents.
A Call to Action
As Project 2025 continues to gain attention, LGBTQ advocacy groups and civil rights organizations are mobilizing to oppose the proposed policies. They argue that the document represents a direct threat to the hard-won rights of LGBTQ Americans and could set a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
“The stakes are incredibly high,” said Via. “We cannot afford to ignore the very real danger that Project 2025 poses to our community and to American democracy as a whole. We must stand together and fight back against these regressive and harmful policies.”
As the nation approaches the 2024 presidential election, the future of LGBTQ rights—and the broader fight for equality—hangs in the balance. The outcome of this battle will have far-reaching implications for the direction of the country and the lives of millions of Americans.
Project 2025 is more than just a policy document; it is a manifesto for a radical transformation of American society. Its proposals, particularly those targeting the LGBTQ community, have raised alarms across the political spectrum. As the debate over the future of LGBTQ rights intensifies, it is clear that the coming years will be pivotal in determining the trajectory of civil rights in the United States.
The conversation surrounding Project 2025 is far from over. As Americans become more aware of the document’s contents and implications, the fight to protect LGBTQ rights—and the integrity of American democracy—will undoubtedly continue to be a central issue in the national discourse.