Park Service Literally Erases Stonewall History In 'Cruel' Act Amid Trump Crackdown
References to transgender people were removed Thursday from a National Park Service website for the Stonewall National Monument, a park and visitor center in New York that commemorates a 1969 riot that became a pivotal moment for the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
The changes were made in the wake of an executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office calling for the federal government to define sex as only male or female.
'This is just cruel and petty,' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, posted on X. 'Transgender people play a critical role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights — and New York will never allow their contributions to be erased.'
The monument in Manhattan's Greenwich Village section is based in a tiny park across the street from the Stonewall Inn, a bar that became ground zero for the gay rights movement on June 28, 1969, when gay and transgender patrons and neighborhood residents fought back against a police raid.
The park service website on Friday was still filled with information about the uprising, including photographs of noted transgender activists.
But the words 'transgender' and 'queer' had been deleted from text that had been on the site.
Also, the letters T and Q were cut from various references to the acronym LGBTQ and replaced with phrases like the 'LGB rights movement' or 'LGB civil rights.'
Representatives of the present-day Stonewall Inn, which is part of the national monument, and The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, a nonprofit organization associated with the historic bar, expressed anger and outrage over the changes.
'This blatant act of erasure not only distorts the truth of our history, but it also dishonors the immense contributions of transgender individuals — especially transgender women of color — who were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots and the broader fight for LGBTQ+ rights,' said organizers of the two entities in a statement.
'They're trying to literally cis-wash, if you will, LGBTQ history by taking trans folks and saying they didn't exist then and don't exist now,' said Stacy Lentz, CEO of The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative and a co-owner of The Stonewall Inn. 'It is very alarming.'
Angelica Christina, who is board director of the initiative and a transgender woman, said the changes to the website are not surprising given 'the constant executive orders the Trump administration has been leveling against the trans community.'
But she said it is shocking and unnerving to see the Stonewall National Monument in particular targeted: 'The West Village, and especially the Stonewall Inn, has always been a safe haven for the LGBT community.'
Earlier this week, the homepage for the national monument said that 'Before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) person was illegal.'
On Thursday, it said: 'Before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) person was illegal.'
The National Park Service did not respond to a message left Thursday seeking comment on the changes. The service previously did not respond to questions about whether Trump's executive order would mean changes for the monument.
Timothy Leonard, Northeast program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, a 1.6 million-member nonprofit group that advocates on behalf of national parks and helped push for the Stonewall monument, said 'erasing letters or webpages' does not change history or the contributions of the transgender community at Stonewall or elsewhere.
'The National Park Service exists to not only protect and preserve our most cherished places but to educate its millions of annual national park visitors about the inclusive, full history of America,' Leonard said.
Then President Barack Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument in 2016.
Last year, a $3.2 million visitor center run by the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Pride Live opened at the site, in partnership with the park service, to tell the Stonewall story in more depth. The center was financed mostly with private donations, except for $450,000 from the park service's charitable arm.
Trump's order declared the federal government would recognize only two immutable sexes: male and female, based on whether people are born with eggs or sperm, rather than on their chromosomes. The change is being pitched as a way to protect women from 'gender extremism.'
Conservative groups such as the American Family Association have praised the change as one that acknowledges the truth. But experts including the American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association hold that gender is a spectrum, not a binary structure consisting only of males and females.
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Washington Post
44 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Trump watches the parade of his dreams
President Donald Trump got the parade he always wanted Saturday — a grand demonstration of military might and patriotic zeal that took place along the National Mall on his 79th birthday. But it fell on an overcast day that capped one of the most tumultuous weeks of his presidency — with troops deployed on the streets of the country's second largest city, bombs launched in the Middle East and, less than 24 hours before the parade began, a targeted killing of a state lawmaker and her spouse in Minnesota. Amid all that domestic and foreign turmoil, the procession of weapons, like so much else in America's politics, was subject to divergent interpretation. Supporters saw a celebration of stability and order while Trump's detractors saw the promotion of violence and authoritarian power. Trump got the parade started after being greeted by a 21-gun salute and the strains of 'Hail to the Chief' as he took his seat in a reviewing stand. A group nearby began singing 'Happy Birthday,' marking either his 79th or the Army's 250th — it was unclear. But the cheering for the president was not quite the overwhelming celebration that occurs at his political rallies. He looked on as troops dressed in historical uniforms passed on horses, bombers did flyovers overhead, and members of the Golden Knights parachute team fell from the sky. He applauded at moments, rose and saluted the troops passing by at others. Later in the evening, he was expected to deliver a speech and swear in recruits. Parade-goers leaned on metal barricades and sprawled onto the grass, although crowds along the parade route by the Washington Monument were relatively thin. Even bleacher seating for VIP guests, positioned directly across from a riser for news cameras, remained half-empty throughout the program. Americans' differing reactions were evident even before the troops began marching, tanks began rolling and helicopters flew overhead — with deep divisions over whether any of it was a good idea. Paul Brown, a 57-year-old Army veteran, traveled two days earlier from Adams County, Ohio, and spent the day on the National Mall dressed in an Afghanistan war veteran hat and a T-shirt featuring a photo of the president that read 'Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president.' 'We absolutely got somebody in there who gives a s--- about the military,' Brown said of Trump being in office. 'These parades should have been going on for years.' Around the country, protesters were out, including at spots that have been important to Trump, including his Trump Tower in New York and his Mar-a-Lago vacation home in Palm Beach, Florida. 'I feel the erosion of democracy. I feel taken away from due process,' Debbie Ziev, a 79-year-old attending her first protest, said on the historic boardwalk in Atlantic City, where Trump built hotels and casinos. 'I felt strongly about Vietnam, but I think I feel more strongly about [Trump] going forward, with my children and grandchildren, because he's ruining the country. He's dividing us. He's causing people not to talk to each other.' Nearly two-thirds of American adults, 64 percent, said they opposed using government funds to throw the military parade, according to a new poll from NBC News Decision Desk powered by SurveyMonkey. The results tracked along party lines, with most Democrats and independents — 88 percent and 72 percent, respectively — opposing the use of government funds for the parade and 65 percent of Republicans supporting it. The parade was designed to compete with the grandeur that Trump witnessed in foreign countries and carry the muscular showmanship he's cultivated over the years. He craves the pomp, loves the circumstance, and revels in the attention. 'We want to show off a little bit,' he said Tuesday. Throughout the week leading up to the parade, the military has been at the center of almost everything. Even the musical Trump watched at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday night, 'Les Misérables,' featured a political uprising and armed rebellion, with Trump openly unsure of which side's main character he most identified. It was a week where he oversaw the militarization of parts of the country and the politicization of parts of the military. And it came on a day with clashes of culture, as streets and squares around the country were filled for a 'No Kings' day of protest, and hours after a new spasm of political violence, in which a gunman fatally shot the top Democrat in the Minnesota House in what Gov. Tim Walz (D) called a 'politically motivated assassination.' Throughout the day, Trump remained in the White House and held a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin, where over an hour, Trump later said, he received birthday wishes and spoke about the conflict between Israel and Iran. On the National Mall, there were displays of military equipment and fitness competitions among soldiers, all staged as part of the 250th anniversary of the Army. But elsewhere, both in the Washington area and around the country, demonstrators were flocking into public spaces and holding 'No Kings' signs to denounce what they view as Trump's authoritarian tactics and his disregard for the Constitution. The military parade Saturday night was done with direct input from Trump. He had specifically requested aircraft and other equipment, aiming to capture the full might of the armed forces, according to White House officials. The event was set to be one of the grandest since he took office for his second term, a spectacle that federal government and military officials have spent months attempting to fulfill an ambitious and grandiose vision for celebrating the country and its military. His inauguration was moved indoors due to cold weather, and he was returning to the National Mall for the first time in years. His viewing stand was near the Ellipse, not far from the event held on Jan. 6, 2021. It fulfilled a desire that he initially expressed more than eight years ago when he was taking office the first time. 'We're going to show the people as we build up our military,' Trump said in an interview with The Washington Post before his first inauguration in January 2017. 'That military may come marching down Pennsylvania Avenue. That military may be flying over New York City and Washington, D.C., for parades. I mean, we're going to be showing our military.' But he was largely rebuffed by past military leaders, who worried about costs and said it ran against an American tradition of avoiding public displays of martial strength. Those kinds of displays, they pointed out, were more common in authoritarian regimes, such as the former Soviet Union's Red Square celebrations or North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's missile processions. The year-long planning effort, which grew significantly in ambition over the past few months, culminated one week after Trump's decision to send in National Guard troops in California to quell protests over his immigration policies. Earlier in the week, he threatened to deploy the military elsewhere in the country if additional anti-ICE protests erupted. Trump also traveled to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Tuesday for an event that was meant to kick off the week's celebration of the Army's birthday, with military demonstrations and flyovers. But it turned into a political rally that some military officials later said made them uncomfortable and concerned. With a crowd of camouflaged soldiers behind him, Trump said that those who burn the U.S. flag should be jailed, even though that runs afoul of First Amendment protections established by the Supreme Court. He taunted the news media and he ridiculed his political opponents, triggering boos of agreement from the crowd. 'You think this crowd would have showed up for Biden?' Trump said at one point, to laughter and boos. 'I don't think so.' The event at Fort Bragg was organized by America250, the same group overseeing the parade, and Saturday night was the next opportunity to see whether anything had been learned from earlier in the week. Elahe Izadi in Atlantic City contributed to this report.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Army's 250th Anniversary Parade in Pictures
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump presided over a sweeping military parade in the nation's capital Saturday evening to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, with tanks, troops, and air displays unfolding under a looming threat of thunderstorms and amid major protests across the country. The parade, which began 30 minutes early due to the weather forecast, was held along Constitution Avenue and featured approximately 6,600 soldiers, 84 military vehicles including 28 M1 Abrams tanks, and more than 60 aircraft overhead. Why It Matters Saturday's military parade was the first in Washington since about 8,000 troops marched through the capital in 1991 to mark the victory of an American-led coalition over Saddam Hussein's Iraq in the Gulf War. The event has also sparked controversy, with supporters arguing it will boost recruitment for the U.S. military, while critics point to the cost and Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky warns it could look like "images you saw of the Soviet Union and North Korea." President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attend a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attend a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson What To Know The event coincided with Trump's 79th birthday and was timed to project strength and tradition on Flag Day. "How great our country is, very simple, and how strong our military is," Trump said when asked what he hoped people would take away from the event. "We have the strongest military in the world." US President Donald Trump (3L) and US First Lady Melania Trump attend the Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, DC, on June 14, 2025. Trump's long-held dream of a parade will come true as nearly... US President Donald Trump (3L) and US First Lady Melania Trump attend the Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, DC, on June 14, 2025. Trump's long-held dream of a parade will come true as nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters rumble through the capital in an event officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US army. More Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images Crowds gathered on both sides of the barricaded avenue, many waving flags and dressed in patriotic colors, while others came simply to watch the rare full-scale military procession unfold through the capital's historic core. People watch the Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, DC on June 14, 2025. Trump's long-held dream of a parade will come true as nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters rumble through... People watch the Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, DC on June 14, 2025. Trump's long-held dream of a parade will come true as nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters rumble through the capital in an event officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US army. More Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images Rain began falling before the parade started. Trump left the White House nearly 45 minutes early to beat the weather and was greeted by chants of "USA! USA!" as he arrived at the reviewing stand with First Lady Melania Trump. The National Anthem is performed as President Donald Trump attends a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. The National Anthem is performed as President Donald Trump attends a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson The president beamed as he took the stage. He stood and clapped as the National Anthem was performed and the U.S. Army Band and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps were introduced. The parade started slightly ahead of schedule. Rain continued to fall intermittently, but lightning held off, allowing the event to proceed. Heavy armor led the way, including M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The roar of engines echoed across the Potomac as units crossed the Arlington Memorial Bridge into Washington. A tank rolls past during the Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, DC, on June 14, 2025. Trump's long-held dream of a parade will come true as nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and... A tank rolls past during the Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, DC, on June 14, 2025. Trump's long-held dream of a parade will come true as nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters rumble through the capital in an event officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US army. More Photo by ANNABELLE GORDON / AFP) (Photo by ANNABELLE GORDON/AFP via Getty Images Military units began arriving, kicking off the parade with Revolutionary War reenactors and period-dressed soldiers from World War I. The 82nd Airborne Division, which dates to 1917, led that section. Nicknamed the "All-Americans," it was originally composed of troops from all 48 states. Soldiers dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms march at the start of the military parade on June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is marking its 250th anniversary with a military parade along Constitution... Soldiers dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms march at the start of the military parade on June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is marking its 250th anniversary with a military parade along Constitution Avenue that includes roughly 6,600 troops, 150 vehicles, and over 50 aircraft. The parade, which coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, is designed to tell the history of the Army. More Photo byRevolutionary War-era soldiers marched first, followed by Civil War reenactors and troops from World War I and World War II. Sherman tanks and WW II Jeeps rolled past Constitution Avenue. Six restored Jeeps and dozens of troops in 1940s garb highlighted the Army's role in the Allied victory. U.S Army vehicles from various eras cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge during the parade down Constitution Avenue marking the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is... U.S Army vehicles from various eras cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge during the parade down Constitution Avenue marking the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is marking its 250th birthday with a military parade including roughly 6,600 troops, 150 vehicles, and over 50 aircraft. The parade, which coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, is designed to tell the history of the Army. More Photo byTrump stood to salute passing troops, often returning their gestures. Though seated much of the time, he repeatedly rose to acknowledge marching units. Soldiers dressed in World War I uniforms march in the military parade on June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is marking its 250th anniversary with a military parade along Constitution Avenue that... Soldiers dressed in World War I uniforms march in the military parade on June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is marking its 250th anniversary with a military parade along Constitution Avenue that includes roughly 6,600 troops, 150 vehicles, and over 50 aircraft. The parade, which coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, is designed to tell the history of the Army. More Photo bySoon after, WWII-era aircraft flew overhead. These included P-51 Mustangs, B-25 Mitchell bombers, and a C-47 Skytrain — all planes integral to the U.S. air campaign during the war. Their flyover coincided with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions on the ground. President Donald Trump attends a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump attends a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson Vietnam-era helicopters buzzed the parade route in tribute to the "Helicopter War." The Huey, Cobra, and Loach were among those that soared over the capital. Soldiers from the Army 82nd Airborne Division, dressed in World War I era uniforms, march past the reviewing stand and President Donald Trump during a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his... Soldiers from the Army 82nd Airborne Division, dressed in World War I era uniforms, march past the reviewing stand and President Donald Trump during a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. More AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson As the armored columns passed, the U.S. Army's Golden Knights parachute team glided toward the Ellipse, trailing red smoke. Their appearance was moved up because of the weather. Members of the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights make their landing during an event to honor the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. Members of the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights make their landing during an event to honor the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein Trump then administered the oath of enlistment to 250 new and reenlisting soldiers as the crowd looked on. Vendors outside sold Army memorabilia and Trump-themed merchandise, including MAGA hats and novelty dolls. Inside the festival area, celebrity chefs Robert Irvine and Andre Rush mingled with troops. Though protests were reported in other parts of Washington and across the country, the parade route remained tightly secured. The National Mall was heavily policed, and streets were reinforced to handle the 60-ton tanks. What People Are Saying U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, speaking before the House Armed Services Committee: "I believe very specifically that telling that story will directly lead to a recruiting boom that will fill up our pipeline for the coming years." Senator Bernie Sanders, on X, formerly Twitter: "We all like to enjoy a nice birthday party. But most of us don't celebrate with a $45 million taxpayer-funded military parade. What Happens Next The parade, according to senior defense officials, is estimated to have cost between $25 million and $45 million — a figure that includes logistics, security, transportation of heavy equipment, and air operations. That total makes it one of the most expensive single-day ceremonial military events in U.S. history.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
President Donald Trump arrives on stage for military parade
The grand military parade that President Donald Trump had been wanting for eight years kicked off Saturday with tanks, troops and a 21-gun salute.
