President Donald Trump is swinging the axe at trans inclusion again — this time targeting the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. In a March 27 executive order, Trump demanded the removal of trans women from a planned exhibit, calling their inclusion “improper ideology,” and threatened to cut federal funding unless the museum complies.
The order, dripping with anti-trans sentiment, makes it crystal clear: if a museum so much as acknowledges trans women as women, it risks losing money. To enforce it, Trump has deployed his trusty sidekick, Vice President J.D. Vance, to spearhead a total museum makeover — exhibits, programming, leadership, the works — with the directive that no museum “recognize men as women in any respect.” Translation: erase trans history or kiss your funding goodbye.
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson wasn’t having it. Calling the move “fascism,” she snapped back: “Queer history is American history. But instead of focusing on issues that are critical to the American people, the Trump Administration is hellbent on quashing any artistic expression or history that doesn’t fit their definition of ‘American.’”
Museums, Monuments, and a War on Truth
Trump’s order goes beyond the Smithsonian. He’s now threatening to defund any museum, park, or monument that exhibits “ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.” The National Parks Service has already caved once — removing “transgender” from the Stonewall National Monument’s website earlier this year. It’s unclear if the monument, which literally exists to commemorate LGBTQ+ rebellion, will even survive the administration’s ideological purge.
Alan Spears of the National Parks Conservation Association said it best: “Truthful and factual accounting of history should not change, regardless of which political party is in power.” But try telling that to a president who thinks race is a “biological reality” and that museums are hotbeds of “ideological indoctrination.”
The order also includes a review of national monuments removed since 2020 — a not-so-subtle dig at the Black Lives Matter movement and the removal of statues honoring racist and pro-slavery figures. Trump wants them back. Yes, he’s rolling back progress on race and gender in one executive order. Efficient, if nothing else.
A Direct Attack on the LGBTQ Community
Let’s not mince words: this isn’t about “shared history.” It’s a coordinated attack on LGBTQ people, especially trans women. Trump is trying to rewrite history books and gallery walls to fit his cis-hetero fantasy, erasing trans contributions and visibility from national institutions. This isn’t just culture war cosplay — it’s policy, and it’s dangerous.
Museums are more than buildings — they are public mirrors, reflecting who we are and who we’ve been. Stripping trans people from these spaces sends a devastating message to young queer and trans folks: your stories don’t matter. But we know better. Trans women have shaped culture, science, sports, and politics. Their place in history is non-negotiable.
And while Trump may hold the pen right now, the queer community holds the receipts. Trans people are not going anywhere — and neither is their legacy.