When the election results were announced on November 6th, it was a moment of conflicting emotions for me. I felt like I watching a train crash in slow motion (a very helpless feeling).

A part of me (that hadn’t dared to hope for anything other than another Trump presidency) felt detached, numb, and defeated.  But another part (holding onto the slightest hope) was overwhelmed with a heavy sense of pain, sadness, and disappointment.

Worries for the world and its People.

Now that Trump has officially been re-elected, many are wondering what the next Trump Presidency will mean for LGBTQIA+ rights.

If Trump can enact everything within the Project 2025 Plan, which attacks civil rights protections for various groups of marginalized peoples, DE&I programs, the environment, access to abortion, access to food assistance programs, childhood headstart programs, and so much more, the consequences could be dire.

It’s crucial to understand the potential impact of these policy changes on the lives of Queer and other marginalized peoples and the progress we’ve made (and the ground we stand to lose) in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

I am worried about what this win could mean for the world (especially the most vulnerable) and the people I care about deeply.

I worry about what our lives will look like in the coming years.

In addition to worrying about the planet and people around me (and in the broader world), I also worry about what this Trump “victory” will mean for our (David and my) survival over the next four years and beyond.

Since 2020 I’ve found fulfilling work (as an independent DE&I Consultant focused on the fields of Queer and Neuro-Inclusion), but recently DE&I has become a controversial field to be in.

As a DE&I Consultant, the election results (and an “anti-DE&I president”) were a strong blow.

The impending Trump presidency is likely to significantly impact (and has already significantly impacted) my work and the work of many others in this field.

An Attack on DE&I

I’ve observed a trend of in-house DE&I professionals being let go from their full-time positions, and many independent consultants, including myself, have experienced a decline in US-based business in recent months (years).

Once upon a time, my consulting business was half Queer Inclusion and half Neuro-Inclusion. Now, I’m lucky if I do two or three Queer Inclusion trainings each year.

This shift in the DE&I landscape is a cause for concern, as it could potentially limit the resources and support available for multiple marginalized communities in addition to the Queer Community.

How I present my training pieces has also begun to evolve.

Many of the organizations I work with have shifted away from the old “talking head” and PowerPoint presentation (popular only a few years ago) and towards “fireside chat” style workshops (which allows for the content to be more “lived experience” and less “declarative teaching”).

While the goal of this style of workshop is to “keep things light,” I pack as much education into these one-hour sessions as possible.

I’ve enjoyed curating these “humanization workshops” for my clients. They have a very conversational and human feel, inviting people to be curious, ask questions, and engage.

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