A town hall and resource fair in West Hollywood confronted the impacts of the Trump administration’s first 100 days in office, focusing on safeguarding the rights of vulnerable communities. The event, Safeguarding Our Rights – The First 100 Days, brought together city leaders and community organizations to discuss challenges facing LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, women, and other marginalized groups.
Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers opened the gathering, reflecting on a personal act of protest in 2015 when she disrupted a Trump rally in Las Vegas to oppose his rhetoric. She emphasized the urgency of collective action, stating that the organizations present have been steadfast through past crises and are vital for navigating this new chapter. Byers acknowledged Vice Mayor John Heilman’s presence and stressed the city’s role in resisting policies that undermine rights.
Heilman, a long-serving councilmember and one of the nation’s longest-serving openly gay elected officials, provided a global perspective. He noted that the administration’s actions have set back international LGBTQ+ rights by decades, drawing from his work on a board focused on global LGBTQ+ issues. Heilman also highlighted the detrimental effects on HIV programs in repressive regimes, underscoring the broader implications of U.S. policy shifts.
Councilmember Danny Hang shared a personal connection, recounting his parents’ journey as refugees seeking safety and dignity in the U.S. He emphasized the personal stakes, stating that the administration’s attacks on immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and children threaten core values of opportunity and justice. Hang urged continued advocacy to protect these communities.
Councilmember John M. Erickson, who initiated the event, reaffirmed West Hollywood’s unified stance against the administration’s policies. He recalled the city’s progressive history, including its pioneering multi-stall gender-neutral bathroom ordinance, and noted the community’s resilience, citing a statement from the city’s drag laureate, Pickle, about standing firm against opposition.
The town hall featured a panel of organizations, including ACLU Southern California, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Equality California, CHIRLA, TransLatin@ Coalition, APLA Health, and Planned Parenthood. Their discussions addressed the administration’s funding cuts, policy shifts, and the resulting impacts on community services, alongside strategies for resistance and hope for the future.
No one anywhere has ever wanted gender neutral bathroom stalls, it’s a foolish ordinance that should be changed.
Okay, Byers, Heilman, Erickson, and Hang, can you be specific about what Trump has done that has your panties in a twist? With all the gay people and women he has appointed to his cabinet I wonder what your complaints are. I’m feeling a whole lot safer now that thousands of dangerous immigrant criminals are no longer among us. Let’s talk about this.
“Byers reflected on a personal act of protest in 2015 when she disrupted a Trump rally in Las Vegas to oppose his rhetoric.” Wow what a leader? Did you ever say anything about Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old American girl, who was sexually assaulted and killed in Texas, by two illegal from Venezuela who walked in under Biden’s open border?