April 13: On This Day In 2018
The national 4-H organization, which supports youth in rural communities, wanted to become more welcoming to all kids. So OTDI 2018 they posted new guidance on their website, officially confirming they accept “all gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientations and sexes.” Seems like progress, right?
However, this statement deeply offended the Trump Administration. So they went to battle against 4-H. Trump’s Dept of Agriculture pushed them to take down the statement. This “controversy” also led to the firing of a top official for 4-H in Iowa.
“This latest action by the Trump-Pence Administration is an unnecessary and cruel attack on LGBTQ youth that seeks to destroy community rather than create it. It is unconscionable that the anti-LGBTQ discrimination under this president has now inexplicably expanded into the Department of Agriculture,” noted Human Rights Campaign's JoDee Winterhof.
Dive deeper
The Des Moines Register had great coverage of this issue, including investigating the firing of the Iowa official and the impact of the policy on LGBTQ youth.
The firing
Their upheaval
@jodeelive's statement from @HRC on the policy reversal
Summary: Trump bullies the 4-H