Transgender Former European Parliament Member Steps Down from Trade Delegation to U.S. due to Trump's Stance on LGBTQ+ Rights
Belgian Minister Withdraws from US Trade Mission Over LGBTQ+ Policies
Petra De Sutter, Europe's first transgender minister, has decided to withdraw from a trade mission to the United States scheduled for October. The decision was made in response to President Donald Trump's policies targeting LGBTQ+ people.
De Sutter, who served as an MEP with the Greens/European Free Alliance from 2019 to 2020, became Belgium's deputy prime minister and minister of public administration and public enterprises in October 2020. She made history as the continent's first openly transgender national-level minister when she was sworn in.
Under Trump's administration, nonbinary or other options have been removed from federal documents, including passports and visas, recognizing only two, unchangeable sexes, male and female. Transgender people are also banned from competing in sports.
De Sutter expressed concern about potential trouble or incidents that might occur due to these rules. She announced her withdrawal on Thursday, stating that she wanted to avoid a potential diplomatic incident and not participate in the trade mission.
The trade mission, a Belgian delegation, was set to take place in Los Angeles and San Francisco. De Sutter is set to begin her term as rector of Ghent University next month.
In October 2021, De Sutter stepped down from national politics and moved to academia. She made this announcement to Belgian news agency Belga. Trump has issued a series of executive orders targeting transgender people, sparking widespread criticism and concern.
De Sutter's withdrawal from the trade mission is a significant statement against the Trump administration's policies towards LGBTQ+ people. It remains to be seen how the administration will respond to this decision.
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