Representative Josh Brecheen introduced HR 4021, legislation prohibiting federal agencies from using taxpayer funds to “develop, organize, administer, engage in, promote, or endorse” any activity related to LGBTQ Pride Month, including events, initiatives, official communications, social media posts, educational programs, or public campaigns. The bill also bans the display of “any flag that represents sexual orientation or gender identity” on federal property or grounds. By prohibiting federal agencies from recognizing or supporting Pride Month observances, the measure would eliminate cultural programming, educational initiatives, and symbolic displays that affirm LGBTQ identities and histories across the federal government. Pride Month, observed annually in June, includes artistic performances, exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events at museums, libraries, military installations, and other federal facilities. The prohibition on flags would ban displays of the Pride flag and related symbols representing LGBTQ communities. This represents a government-imposed restriction on cultural expression and symbolic speech at federal institutions nationwide.

House Resolution 7661 would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit federal education funds from being used to develop, facilitate, or promote programs or literature for children under 18 that include “sexually oriented material.” The bill defines this term to include any content involving “gender dysphoria or transgenderism,” creating a federal mechanism to restrict books and literary works addressing LGBTQ+ themes from schools receiving federal funding. Introduced hours after President Trump’s February 24, 2026 State of the Union address calling to “ban it immediately,” the legislation includes exemptions for “standard science coursework,” religious texts, and narrowly defined classic literature and art, though it does not clarify whether materials within these categories that discuss gender identity would be protected or prohibited. Advocacy organizations have characterized the measure as establishing a nationwide book ban targeting transgender and gender-nonconforming youth.

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo directing the FBI and federal prosecutors to compile lists of organizations the Justice Department classifies as potential “domestic terrorist” threats based on ideological views including “radical gender ideology,” “anti-Americanism,” “anti-capitalism,” and “anti-Christianity.” The memo implements National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7) and authorizes the FBI to review intelligence from the past five years, solicit tips through an upgraded system with financial rewards for informants, and directs the Treasury Department to audit nonprofits’ taxes. The directive may encompass arts and cultural non-profit organizations and institutions whose artists or past programming explored themes related to race, gender, immigration, or nationalism, among others. The vague and overbroad nature of the directive could create a strong chilling effect for arts and cultural organizations.

Un panel dividido del Tribunal de Apelaciones del Quinto Circuito de los Estados Unidos anuló una orden judicial de un tribunal de distrito que había bloqueado la aplicación de la Ley 12 del Senado de Texas desde 2023, lo que permitió al estado reanudar la aplicación de la ley que restringe las «actuaciones de carácter sexual» en público o ante menores. El fallo determinó que la mayoría de los demandantes carecían de legitimación y remitió el caso para una nueva revisión constitucional según los nuevos estándares de la Corte Suprema. La ley impone sanciones por delitos menores de clase A (hasta un año de cárcel y una multa de 4000 dólares para las personas físicas; hasta 10 000 dólares para las personas jurídicas), lo que suscita preocupación por la supresión del arte del espectáculo drag y la expresión cultural LGBTQ+, a pesar de la declaración del tribunal de que la ley solo se aplica a las actuaciones consideradas «de carácter sexual» y «eróticas».

El 27 de junio de 2025, el Tribunal Supremo dictaminó por 6 votos contra 3 en el caso Mahmoud contra Taylor que las escuelas deben notificar a los padres y permitir la exención religiosa de las clases que utilicen libros de cuentos con temática LGBTQ. La decisión crea incentivos legales y económicos para que las escuelas retiren de forma preventiva la literatura LGBTQ+ de las aulas con el fin de evitar demandas judiciales, lo que restringe de forma efectiva el acceso de los estudiantes a expresiones culturales diversas y limita su capacidad de participar en una educación literaria que refleje identidades y experiencias variadas. La disidencia de la jueza Sotomayor advirtió que el fallo tendría un «efecto paralizador» que conduciría a la censura de materiales artísticos y culturales en los planes de estudio de las escuelas de todo el país.

On April 2, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its Policy Manual to recognize only two “biological sexes”—male and female—based on birth certificates issued at or near time of birth, pursuant to Executive Order 14168 “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” signed January 20, 2025. The policy eliminates the “X” gender marker option and requires all immigration benefit applications to indicate sex as male or female based on birth records. The policy directly impacts transgender and nonbinary artists, including US citizens and those applying for O-1, P-1, P-3, and other work visas. Canadian musician Bells Larsen, whose album explores trans experience, canceled his June 2025 U.S. tour after receiving guidance from the American Federation of Musicians that applicants with gender markers changed from birth certificates would face visa difficulties. The policy applies to all pending and new applications filed on or after April 2, 2025.

On February 14, 2025, the National Park Service removed all references to “transgender” and “queer” from the Stonewall National Monument website, changing “LGBTQ+” to “LGB” and erasing mentions of transgender activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera who were central to the 1969 uprising. The Park Service stated the changes were made to comply with Trump executive orders on “restoring biological truth to the federal government.” The Stonewall Inn and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups condemned the action as a “blatant act of erasure” that distorts the history of the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights and dishonors transgender contributions to the movement. Weeks later, the NPS also removed entire web pages dedicated to transgender activists from the site.

On February 7, President Trump announced he would dismiss 18 members of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees and appoint himself as chairman, marking the first time a president has mass-fired board members or assumed leadership of the prestigious performing arts institution. Trump stated the center had featured “drag shows specifically targeting our youth” and vowed “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA,” installing Richard Grenell as interim executive director to reshape programming. Following the takeover, the Kennedy Center canceled LGBTQ+ programming including WorldPride concerts and performances by the Gay Men’s Chorus, and dismantled the Social Impact team focused on serving underserved communities. This move imposes an unprecedented degree of government oversight onto the curatorial decisions of the Kennedy Center, and has already resulted in the discriminatory cancellation of artist groups out of favor with the Presidential administration.

La Orden Ejecutiva 14188, firmada el 29 de enero de 2025, ordenaba a las agencias federales identificar a las autoridades encargadas de combatir el antisemitismo e incluía disposiciones para que las universidades supervisaran e informaran sobre las actividades de los estudiantes no ciudadanos que pudieran dar lugar a procedimientos de expulsión. El texto de la orden no restringe explícitamente la libertad artística ni ordena deportaciones. Sin embargo, las autoridades federales han utilizado la orden como pretexto para restringir la expresión legítima y pacífica de los estudiantes que participan en protestas en los campus. Las autoridades revocaron más de 1500 visados de estudiantes internacionales en al menos 32 estados y detuvieron a varios estudiantes que participaban en manifestaciones a favor de Palestina. Las organizaciones de libertades civiles han impugnado estas medidas por considerarlas violaciones inconstitucionales de los derechos de libertad de expresión y de reunión.

El presidente Trump firmó una orden ejecutiva que elimina las protecciones federales para la identidad de género en la educación, la salud y los programas culturales. Se ordenó a las agencias que definieran el sexo «estrictamente como biológico», lo que provocó la eliminación de políticas inclusivas en museos, bibliotecas y espacios culturales financiados por el gobierno federal. La orden restringe la financiación de cualquier cosa que utilice el término «ideología de género» o que se refiera al «género» en lugar del «sexo», lo que limitará las instituciones artísticas y culturales, así como las ONG artísticas, ya que se trata de términos comunes en los proyectos artísticos y en la investigación sobre historia del arte. Las organizaciones LGBTQ+ advirtieron que esto enfriaría la expresión artística y pública vinculada a la identidad queer. En febrero de 2025, la Liga Urbana Nacional presentó una demanda contra la Orden Ejecutiva 14168, argumentando que las restricciones de la administración a las políticas de DEI y de identidad de género violan las protecciones de los derechos civiles y los derechos de libertad de expresión.

Executive Order 14151, signed January 20, 2025, directed all federal agencies to terminate “all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities,” as well as all “equity-related” grants and contracts within 60 days. The order had implications for arts and culture agencies that receive federal funding, as it required them to review and revise grant programs and compliance requirements. Arts organizations expressed uncertainty over how the order would affect their eligibility for federal funding and which programs might be subject to termination. Executive Order 14151 has been challenged in court on First Amendment grounds, with plaintiffs arguing that its restrictions on DEI-related programs amount to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination and suppression of protected speech.