Pop sensation Madonna has publicly criticized President Donald Trump’s administration for something she perceives as an effort to dismantle the rights and freedom that marginalized communities in the US have fought for. The icon has expressed her frustration on social media, she voiced her concerns regarding the Trump administration’s anti-LGBTQ+ agenda. She wrote, “It’s so sad to watch our new Government slowly dismantling all the Freedoms we have been fighting for and WON over the years,” Madonna posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, and urged people to continue their fight for equality.
Madonna’s post comes in the wake of Donald Trump signing an executive order that titles, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” The order reinstates a ban on transgender individuals to serve openly in the U.S. military. This order will put into reverse a policy set by former President Joe Biden in 2021, that allowed transgender individuals to enlist and also serve without any restrictions.
Madonna for Trump:
“It’s so sad to watch our new Government slowly dismantling all the Freedoms we have been fighting for and WON over the years. 🏳️🌈💔
Don’t give up the Fight”! pic.twitter.com/Ckujy07F72
— Άννα Ελεφάντη (@Anna_Elefanti) January 29, 2025
Sarah Kate Ellis, the GLAAD President condemned the policy as well. She highlighted that transgenders are serving with honor in the military and contributing to national security already. In addition to that, Donald Trump’s first week in the office witnessed a rollback of equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. The initiatives which were ruled until then provided crucial opportunities for marginalized groups.
Madonna’s call against Trump’s policy is also echoed by other celebrities, like Selena Gomez who has voiced her opinion over Trump’s approach to deport and the impact it would have on immigrant communities. Both the artists continue to stand in support of those who are fighting for equality and justice.
Several other celebrities have taken to social media to voice their thoughts of Trump’s policy, which could have a damaging impact on the LGBTQ+ community. Wicked actress and singer Ariana Grande posted a series of Instagram stories that highlighted the struggles the LGBTQIA+ community faced during the election campaign.
Ariana said, after Trump’s policy, “Let’s be very clear: queer and trans people were here before Donald Trump and will continue to be here after he’s dead. Whether or not you want us to exist is secondary to the simple fact that we do. The sun does not care if you sign an executive order telling it to stop rising each morning. It just continues to rise.”
Rock band Garbage took to Instagram and wrote, “Queer, trans and non-binary peoples have existed since the dawn of time. They will continue to exist whether you choose to recognize this or not. They will exist long past the current administration and long past all of our lifetimes.” Michelle Visage, the RuPaul’s Drag Race judge shared a snippet of Trump’s speech on Instagram Stories and commented over it: “YOU WILL NOT ERASE MY CHILD.”
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Donald Trump’s administration said that the president will sign an executive order that recognizes only two sexes. The policy declared that they cannot be changed and federal employers will have to use the term ‘sex’, and not ‘gender’. Social media users have said that Trump may need some reminding but it’s worth mentioning that sex is the biological and physiological characteristics of females and males, like chromosomes, reproductive organs, and hormones. Gender on the other hand is the socially constructed characteristics of men and women.
The declaration by Donald Trump and signing of the order, “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” marks the elimination of recognition of nonbinary identities and transgender at federal level. It would also restrict individuals from updating gender markers on passports and several other federal documents. During Joe Biden’s term the former president had allowed these updates, and it was viewed as a step for equality for nonbinary people. Trump’s policy would negatively impact almost 1.6 million of Americans who currently identify as transgender, as per a data from UCLA.