New HRC Report Reveals Nearly Half of LGBTQ+ Americans Hiding Identities Amid Trump Policies

The Human Rights Campaign released a report detailing a significant "Trump effect"on LGBTQ+ Americans, with nearly half reporting they are less out somewhere in their lives over the past 12 months. This trend, described as LGBTQ+ people "going back in the closet, "stems from heightened fears of discrimination following the Trump administration's policy actions targeting transgender and nonbinary individuals.

HRC President Kelley Robinson stated, “Trump and his allies made no secret about their plans; they laid it out for all to see in Project 2025. Over the past year, his Administration has pushed forward efforts to eliminate civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ Americans — with funding cuts, regulatory changes, and bullying from the bully pulpit. Now, LGBTQ+ Americans are deeply hurting." The report, based on a survey of LGBTQ+ adults, also notes that nearly 30% perceive a decline in social acceptance over the past year.

Key Trump administration policies cited in the report include ending federal recognition of transgender and nonbinary people by claiming they do not exist, a move that affects data collection by entities like the U. S. Census Bureau. The administration has also rescinded federal nondiscrimination protections through agencies such as the Department of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education Department, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Further actions encompass banning transgender people from military service and canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in research grants focused on LGBTQ+ experiences. Executive orders have targeted transgender youth's access to health care, participation in sports, and bathroom usage. Additionally, the administration ended coverage for gender-affirming care for federal workers and shut down a hotline for LGBTQ+ youth at risk of suicide.

Health care access has been particularly affected, with two-thirds of transgender and nonbinary adults reporting difficulties due to these policies. About one-third of LGBTQ+ adults facing health care discrimination noted their health worsened over the past year. Executive actions have directed agencies to exclude gender identity from forms and end federal funding for what the administration terms "gender ideology." This includes limiting coverage in federal employee health benefits for pediatric transgender surgeries or hormone treatments.

The American Civil Liberties Union has documented similar rollbacks, warning of an escalation in a second Trump term, including weaponizing federal law against transgender people and mandating discrimination. Trump has pledged to eliminate protections for transgender students on "day one, "potentially stripping nondiscrimination guarantees in employment, housing, education, and health care. Some orders faced legal challenges; for instance, on June 9, 2026, a court issued a preliminary injunction blocking provisions related to "gender ideology"and DEI initiatives.

LGBTQ+ advocates emphasize the human impact, with transgender people facing erased visibility in federal data and restricted care, fostering a climate of fear. The HRC report underscores how these policies have led transgender and nonbinary individuals to hide their identities in workplaces, schools, and communities to avoid backlash. Community responses call for congressional action like the Equality Act to counter these measures, though passage remains unlikely under current leadership.

This event, centered on the HRC report's release in early 2026, reflects broader concerns about civil rights erosion for LGBTQ+ people, particularly transgender Americans, amid ongoing policy shifts.