News
State Dept. quiet on Nigeria gay arrests
U.S. dismisses cutting off aid, saying U.S. funds critical to HIV programs


The State Department won’t articulate options to address anti-gay activity in Nigeria. (Photo public domain)
State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki was unable on Friday to articulate any options to address Nigeria’s anti-gay law and the arrests that have followed other than restating U.S. concerns about the situation.
Under questioning from the Washington Blade, Psaki provided little additional information on U.S. efforts to confront the anti-gay law as reports continue to emerge of hostilities toward gay men in the country.
“I don’t have any new options to outline for you at this point,” Psaki said. “I think we’ve been very clear in expressing our concerns and how deeply concerned we are about the impact on all Nigerians of this law.”
On Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign issued a statement calling on the State Department to employ all available tools to stop the anti-gay situation in Nigeria described in media reports that has troubled many observers.
āThe State Department must use every available tool to demonstrate that any nation which targets its own LGBT citizens and violates their civil rights gravely risks its standing in the international community,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.
The Obama administration has previously said the anti-gay law itself violates Nigeria’s international legal obligations and is inconsistent with human rights protections in its constitution.
But one option that Psaki took off the table on Friday was a potential loss of U.S. financial aid to Nigeria, saying the United States funds programs in Nigeria that are critically important.
“It’s also important to note that a great deal of our funding goes to programs including HIV prevention, human rights programs, programs that are promoting fundamental freedoms, program funding that often goes through PEPFAR,” Psaki said. “Those are programs that, obviously, we continue to support.”
Homosexual acts were already illegal in Nigeria, but the new anti-gay law signed on Jan. 7 by Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan goes further than the existing statutes.
It bans not only same-sex marriage and same-sex relationships, but also membership in LGBT organizations. Entering into a same-sex marriage or civil union is punishable by up to 14 years in prison, and membership in an LGBT organization is punishable with jail time of up to 10 years.
The State Department had previously said it was trying to verify reports that as many as 38 gay men have been arrested and 168 others are being pursued following passage of the anti-gay law. The Associated Press reported on Friday that arrests are spreading across Nigeria and dozens more individuals perceived to be gay have been rounded up and questioned.
But Psaki on Friday said wasn’t able to provide any confirmation about arrests in terms of numbers as she reiterated U.S. concern about the media reports.
“I don’t believe I have an update on the specific numbers that have been out there,” Psaki said. “Obviously, we have expressed our concerns about these reports, expressed our concerns about the legislation as well…It’s often difficult to confirm specific numbers along those lines.”
Will Stevens, a State Department spokesperson, later told the Blade the U.S. embassy in Nigeria is working to ascertain the number of individuals perceived to be gay arrested under the law. Stevens said the State Department would provide a response by Tuesday, but it’ll probably be a “squishy number” because of the changing situation.
Asked to respond to media reports that Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has returned the “anti-homosexuality” bill to parliament, which passed the measure last month, Psaki said she was unaware of the development.
“I haven’t seen that,” Psaki said. “I’m happy to check with our team and see if we have more details on that.”
A State Department official later told the Blade the United States continues to raise concerns about the legislation in Uganda and “welcome[s] reports” that some Ugandan leaders have expressed their Ā opposition to the bill.
“Since the 2009 introduction of this legislation, we have consistently registered our opposition at the highest levels of government, both in Washington and in Kampala, reiterating our long-standing opposition to legislation that discriminates against LGBT individuals,” the official said.
New York
Investigators say ‘no indication’ of hate crime in torture killing of Black trans man
GLAAD cautioned police from ruling out hate crime charges

Law enforcement officials investigating the torture and killing of Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old Black transgender man from Minnesota whose body was discovered last week in upstate New York, found “no indication” of a hate crime, they announced in a statement on Sunday.
“We are disclosing that Sam and his assailants were known to each other, identified as LGBTQ+, and at least one of the defendants lived with Sam in the time period leading up to the instant offense,āĀ police said.
āWe share the communityās shock at such a heinous act of violence and understand the fear circulating among members of the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community,ā they said. āWe remain focused on holding these individuals accountable and will continue to work tirelessly to complete the investigation into Samās murder.ā
In a statement on Tuesday, GLAAD said that “While we are encouraged to see law enforcement act swiftly to investigate this horrific act, we caution investigators from ruling out hate crime charges based on this statement alone,” adding that “Anti-LGBTQ hate can be perpetuated by anyone, regardless of their relationship to the victim or their own gender identity or sexual orientation.”
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said: āOur hearts are broken over the loss of Sam Nordquist. Sam was more than just a statisticāhe was a son, a brother, a friend, and a bright light in the lives of those who knew him.
“His life was stolen from him after enduring unspeakable cruelty. We stand in solidarity with Samās family, friends, and community as they demand justice. We refuse to let Samās story fade into silence.
“We demand accountability, we demand justice, and we demand a world where transgender people are safe, respected, and able to live freely.ā
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Sunday that she instructed state agencies including the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit of the New York State Division of Human Rights to assist with the investigation into Nordquist’s murder.
Letitia James, attorney general of New York, said on X “This is beyond horrifying, and those responsible for this terrible act must be held accountable. My heart is with Samās family, loved ones, and the entire LGBTQ+ community.”
Police who found his remains in a field in Yates County determined that Nordquist was āsubjected to prolonged physical and psychological abuseā between December and his death earlier this month.
Bolivia
Casa Trans Pamela Valenzuela is beacon of hope for LGBTQ Bolivians
Refuge, community center opened in La Paz in 2022

In a context where discrimination and exclusion continue to be a reality for Bolivia’s LGBTQ community, Casa Trans Pamela Valenzuela stands as a refuge and comprehensive support center for transgender people.
Casa Trans since it opened in 2022 has provided essential services that go beyond simple housing, offering legal, medical, psychological, and food assistance.
Located in the San Pedro neighborhood of La Paz, the national capital, Casa Trans opens each day, offering a soup kitchen where clients can prepare their own food. Anyone in need of a meal is welcome, although its main objective is to assist trans women and men.
Luna HumĆ©rez, president of the OrganizaciĆ³n de Travestis, TransgĆ©neros y Transexuales Femeninas (Otraf) in Bolivia and director of Casa Trans, told the Washington Blade the project began to address needs the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated. Many trans people found themselves homeless and without means to support themselves because of the loss of informal jobs or sex work.
Support from the Global Fund allowed HumƩrez and other activists to create a space that offers free food and shelter.
āWhat inspired the creation of the Casa Trans was post-COVID,” explained HumĆ©rez. “You know that in COVID there were many problems with the trans community, especially the Latino trans community, because they were doing sex work, they lived on a daily basis, they lived in rents, they could not go out to work. So, many suffered from housing and food issues. So, the creation of the Casa Trans was to mitigate a little and help the trans population with free food from Monday to Friday.ā
The activist said the assistance that Casa Trans has been able to offer has expanded.
āThe spaces have been expanded, a multidisciplinary care team has been expanded, from a social worker, a psychologist, an endocrinologist, a general practitioner, a legal advisor, a lawyer and the peer-to-peer work that we do,ā said HumĆ©rez.
āThe space has evolved too much and we are attending more and more cases and helping more and more people. And not only LGBT people, but also people in vulnerable situations,ā she added.
LGBTQ people in Bolivia continue to face significant challenges in health, education, employment, and housing, despite some legal and social advances.
The First Virtual Survey of the country’s LGBTQ community, which the Ombudsman’s Office and the National Institute of Statistics conducted, found more than 60 percent of respondents said they have faced discrimination at some point in their lives. This mistreatment includes verbal and physical violence and exclusion in the workforce and the education system.
Thirty-three percent of respondents also said they do not have any type of health care; with sexual minorities and trans women the most vulnerable. Sixty-five percent of respondents said they do not know how to access Bolivia’s Unified Health System.
HumĆ©rez pointed out that ālegislation in Bolivia and the rights of trans people have been improving over the years.”
“We have had a leftist government that, although it has done some things such as the Gender Identity Law and the Anti-discrimination Law, they have not been enough,ā HumĆ©rez told the Blade. āAt the moment the trans population in Bolivia does not have all the rights as the cisgender population. So, at this moment we are cut off from many things and we think it is important that we must keep fighting and fighting so that the state can recognize our full rights without any restrictions.ā
HumƩrez said it is important for LGBTQ activists to participate in elections that will take place this year.
āI think it is important that we must be political actors in these new elections that are coming this year,ā she said.

Casa Trans struggles to secure funding
Casa Trans not only offers a roof and food; but legal advice, specialized medical care in the transition process, psychological support, and job training opportunities. A multidisciplinary team ā a lawyer, a social worker, a psychologist, and an endocrinologist ā works to provide these services. Casa Trans also arranges scholarships for colleagues who wish to study at a university or technical institute.
āThe challenges are complicated because we do not have direct funding,” said HumĆ©rez, who noted those who work with Casa Trans are volunteers.
She said U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze nearly all American foreign aid will make efforts to secure enough funding for Casa Trans even more difficult.
āNow with Donald Trump becoming president of the United States, I believe that many things will become more difficult, not only in the United States, but this will also affect the countries of the region, Latin America, among others,” said HumĆ©rez. “So, for us it is important that we have financial support so that our work can continue because the work we do is very important.”
The existence and work of the Pamela Valenzuela Trans House highlights the urgency of addressing the inequalities and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ community in Bolivia.
National
Federal workers, trans service members cope with Trump attacks
āWe could very easily be entering a Lavender Scare 2.0ā

Since President Trump signed a series of executive orders rolling back federal worker protections, advocacy groups are ringing alarm bells signaling this could disproportionately impact more than 300,000 LGBTQ federal workers.
Trump has so far signed 65 executive orders, most of which attempt to shrink the size of the federal government and restructure how it works to better suit his interests. Of those 65 executive orders passed, at least six directly target LGBTQ people, one outright bans transgender people from serving in the military, and another ends all government efforts at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
A study conducted in January by the Williams Institute, a research center that focuses on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, showed that āone in ten LGBTQ adults are employed by the public sector,ā with higher numbers of LGBTQ people working in federal government bureaus, the USPS, and as government contractors. This means that Trump’s orders could be particularly dangerous for LGBTQ Americans, potentially displacing hundreds of thousands of queer federal workers.
The Blade spoke with an LGBTQ executive branch employee who works directly with one of the resource groups targeted by the Trump administration to understand how these orders are being implemented internally. The source, fearing retaliation, requested anonymity.
āWe had established lots of different things that were positive for LGBTQI+ employees to make sure that our identities were respected,ā the source said. āWhat some folks may see as a simple thing like the allowance for pronouns in email signatures and the use of inclusive language, all those kinds of things are kind of in limbo right now. It’s fully expected to be said [by the Trump administration] that these things canāt be utilized anymore.ā
The source noted that the public often misunderstands the role of these resource groups, making it harder to justify the need for such positions. A common misconception is that groups promoting DEI exist solely to hire minorities. Although part of their mission involves reaching historically underrepresented communities, their work extends far beyond recruitment, playing a crucial role in fostering inclusive workplace cultures and supporting employees.
āIt’s just about creating that level playing field environment to make sure that you are doing the best for your organization to attract the best talent, and then the knowledge that it’s not just any one demographic that is best suited for a certain role,ā they said. āLet me be very clear: It’s not about quotas, it’s not about checking boxes. It’s not about hiring one person on anything other than qualification over another. It’s about making sure that we’re looking at places where we may be missing opportunities for not just qualified candidates, but the best and brightest. And sometimes that means adjusting your recruitment style.ā
This ongoing attack on DEI, as well as other efforts to promote inclusivity and fairness within the government by the twice-impeached president is a borrowed tactic from another infamous Republican who weaponized demagoguery to consolidate power ā Sen. Joseph McCarthy.
āWe could very easily be entering a Lavender Scare 2.0,ā the source continued. āI mean, when you’re asking employees to rat on each other, basically, for anybody who might be involved in anything surrounding this work, it’s not unknown that a majority of folks who do diversity, equity, and inclusion work are members of minority, marginalized communities. It just painted a big target on the back of all those people.ā
When asked to speculate on what they think this could mean for the roughly three million federal workers, the source said it could lead to a chilling effect where LGBTQ employees either face direct removal or feel compelled to leave due to a hostile work environment.
āI see an exodus coming ā whether it is forced or voluntary,ā said the source. āI don’t see with all the progress that’s been made over the last two decades people willing to stay working for an organization where they don’t feel like they’re safe. If you feel like you don’t have the psychological safety to do your job, and you’re worried about whether you’re gonna get fired, it kind of kills your psychological availability to do your job. People are not engaged.ā
Colonel Bree Fram, the highest-ranking out transgender officer in the Department of Defense, who spoke to the Blade in her personal capacity and does not speak on behalf of the U.S. government or military, agreed with the sourceās thoughts on inclusive spaces being critical for the success of government work and safety.
āAny policy that excludes a class of individuals is inherently damaging to national security, because if those individuals can meet the standards of the service, if they can accomplish the mission that they’ve been given, they are participating in a way that makes us stronger,ā Fram said. āWe create better solutions from a diverse set of perspectives that allows us to accomplish the mission in ways that support national security objectives. So if there is a transgender service member out there excluded merely for who they are, rather than their ability to complete their mission itās an issue for our national security today and far into the future, because we have thousands of transgender service members actively accomplishing the mission today. They are doing so in a way that meets, or, in most cases, exceeds the standards, because they are highly capable, competent warriors that have learned their skill set and mastered their craft over decades, they are crushing it on behalf of the United States and in upholding their oath to the Constitution.ā
The executive branch source echoed that sentiment. Both sources agree that the removal of these policies has the real potential to harm the governmentās ability to function as a resource for its people.
āIt takes a special type of person to work for the government,ā the source said. āYou’re not going to get rich. You’re not going to make as much money, generally. In the private sector you would, especially for folks who work in some of these specialized areas. Why would you want to work somewhere that you’re going to go nowhere, and no matter how hard you work, you’re not going to get anything?ā
Not only do government employees feel they can’t perform at a professional level with these executive orders, some have expressed that they fear for the personal lives of LGBTQ staff members now too.
āPeople are concerned,ā Fram said. āPeople are worried about what will happen to people that they work with. When any leader sees someone in their organization having a difficult time or having something outside of what they need to focus on to accomplish their duties, it is our responsibility as a leader to help that person through those issues. That is what leaders within the military, I believe, are seeing right now. They see members of their military family hurting and concerned about what their future may be. As a leader, we want to take care of people so that they can take care of the mission and having to spend resources to take care of people when they are hurt is very important, but it is also time consuming, and takes us away from things that we do need to be focused on.ā
To find āthings that we need to focus on,ā is easier said than done. Fram said that for LGBTQ members of the federal workforce, specifically trans members of the military, itās not only the fight against unjust actions and rhetoric from Trump, but also internally within the service members themselves.
āThe challenge all of us face is, how do we determine and know our own self worth?ā Fram asked. āDo we let an outside source define who we are? For transgender people, that is a deep strength of ours. ā¦ We know what to focus on. We know that we are who we are. We exist, and it is our deep duty and responsibility to care about future generations and protecting and defending our freedoms.ā
When asked how to support people in these groups as workplace inclusion shifts away from being a standard part of their professional environment, Fram had a simple answer: listen to those who are being excluded.
āI believe the most powerful thing any of us have is our story,ā Fram said. āOur story of courage and commitment and development and capability, how we serve, how we accomplish the missions that we’ve been given. So the best thing people can possibly do right now is share our stories, connect with our humanity, understand who we are in reality, not the rhetoric being used to demonize us. Trans people are a small portion of the population, so it’s easy to hate who you don’t know or don’t understand or have never met. So meet a trans person, read their story, share their story, and your perceptions may change.ā
The Blade reached out to the Trump-Vance administration for comment but did not receive a response.
In the long run, Fram explained, vilifying and marginalizing people for who they are ultimately harms the cohesive team dynamics essential to achieving a common goal ā whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom.
āWhat we’ve learned from countless examples through history, for trans people, for lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, and for other groups, anyone really who had to hide a piece of their identity in order to serve,ā Fram said. āYou cannot be as effective as you can be when you are spending energy hiding who you are. That’s a concern I have as more people pull back and have to hide a portion of who they are. We lose some of that cohesion within teams, because that energy that you have to spend on protecting yourself could be dedicated to building the cohesive relationships around you that foster teams that become incredibly successful. That’s one of the things where people being authentic serves the purposes of the military. It builds those strong bonds that allow teams to function effectively and accomplish their wartime mission.ā
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