QM Weekly Update for August 17, 2025
🏳️⚧️⚕️🏛️ On Tuesday, a federal appeals court upheld Arkansas' gender-affirming care ban for trans minors. This is the first time a federal court has weighed in on a similar law since U.S. v. Skrmetti in June.
More information:
"Federal appeals court endorses Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors"
Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors stands | Advocate.com
<p>It’s the latest attack on trans rights in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s <em>Skrmetti</em> ruling.</p>
🏳️🌈🏛️ On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department released its annual human rights report, omitting references to anti-LGBTQ+ rights violations across the world. Additionally, the department also omitted information about violations of the rights of women and disabled people, government corruption, and freedom of assembly.
More information:
"“Deliberate erasure”: State Department removes anti-LGBTQ+ abuses from annual human rights report"
"Deliberate erasure": State Department removes anti-LGBTQ+ abuses from annual human rights report - LGBTQ Nation
The State Department's lesbian spokesperson justified the omissions saying they were necessary to fit the president's "view and vision."
"State Dept. omitting anti-LGBTQ+ actions from foreign human rights report"
State Dept. omits LGBTQ+ rights from country reports | Advocate.com
<p>This and other changes are detailed in drafts obtained by <em>The Washington Post.</em></p>
“US: Rights Report Mixes Facts, Deception, Political Spin”
US: Rights Report Mixes Facts, Deception, Political Spin | Human Rights Watch
The Trump administration’s omission of key sections and manipulation of certain countries’ rights abuses degrade and politicize the 2025 US State Department human rights report, Human Rights Watch said today.
🏳️🌈📜 On Tuesday, President Trump announced that all Smithsonian museum material and programming will be reviewed to comply with executive orders against “wokeness.” Smithsonian museums have 120 days to change content deemed “woke” and replace it with content that is ideologically aligned with the administration.
More information:
"Trump administration cracks down on content at Smithsonian Institution"
Trump administration cracks down on content at Smithsonian Institution - LGBTQ Nation
The administration is scouring the Washington museums for LGBTQ+ and other "woke" content.
🏳️⚧️📜 On August 7th, President Trump signed an executive order targeted towards limiting funding and "wasteful grant-making" for LGBTQ+ health, research and arts programs.
More information:
"Donald Trump is reducing funding for LGBTQ+ health, research & arts programs: “It’s unconscionable”"
Donald Trump is reducing funding for LGBTQ+ health, research & arts programs: "It’s unconscionable" - LGBTQ Nation
Trump order escalates fight on “wasteful grants,” targeting drag shows, trans programs, and DEI-related research.
"Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Stops Wasteful Grantmaking"
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Stops Wasteful Grantmaking – The White House
ENDING GRANT ABUSE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order stopping unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats from wasting taxpayer dollars
🏳️⚧️📜🏃🏽♀️ On August 5th, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a White Hour Task Force on the 2028 Summer Olympics with himself as chair, and during his announcement, made statements suggesting that trans women would be prevented from competing in women's events.
More information:
"Donald Trump to chair Olympics task force and demand 'strong' tests to keep trans athletes out"
Trump to chair Olympics task force to keep trans athletes out | Advocate.com
<p>The President has wrongly implied Algerian Imane Khalief, an Algerian boxing gold medalist, was trans and should not compete.</p>
"Trump says he wants strong testing to keep transgender athletes out of women’s sports at 2028 Olympics"
Trump says he wants strong testing to keep transgender athletes out of women’s sports at 2028 Olympics | CNN
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to establish a White House task force to coordinate the federal government’s preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, using the occasion to rail against transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
"Establishing the White House Task Force on the 2028 Summer Olympics"
Establishing the White House Task Force on the 2028 Summer Olympics – The White House
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in anticipation of the 2028 Summer
"Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes White House Task Force on the 2028 Summer Olympics"