On the eve of the 2026 World Cup, German rights groups harshly criticized the Trump-Vance administration over its anti-LGBTQ policies.
The World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico until July 19th. The tournament opened on Thursday in Mexico City, with Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0.
“Democracy is being gradually dismantled in the United States,” Julia Monro of the German LGBTQ and intersex rights group Federation Queer Diversity, known by the acronym LSVD, said in a statement. released on wednesday. “In particular, the human rights of transgender, intersex, non-binary individuals, and other queer people are facing massive attacks and political maneuvers by the Trump administration.”
In a statement, the LSVD said sport “has a special responsibility in this situation, as it conveys to the world values that go beyond the playing field, such as fairness, respect and inclusivity.”
“This must apply to everyone, including trans* and non-binary people,” says LSVD. “People who love sports must also protect those who can only experience sports under difficult circumstances.”
“Public visibility of queer people is being rolled back, companies and organizations with diversity strategies are under pressure, and laws are being tightened for trans*, intersex and non-binary people,” the group added. “This is not a fringe issue, but directly affects daily life, mobility and security. The treatment of minority rights is a measure of the state of a democratic society. Inhumane measures must not become the norm. The international community must not remain silent as attention grows on the host country, the United States. The Trump administration could exploit this media platform for further inhumane purposes as it moves its homophobic policies to other countries.”
LSVD also stressed that “the safety of transgender* and non-binary soccer fans is currently not guaranteed in the United States.”
“We advise all queer fans to be fully informed in advance and take precautions to stay safe.”
The World Council for Equality is one of more than 100 organizations that have issued travel advisories to the United States ahead of the World Cup.
LSVD noted in a statement that the German government has issued a travel advisory for transgender and nonbinary people planning to visit the United States in 2025, specifically citing President Donald Trump’s executive order that prohibited the State Department from issuing passports with an “X” gender marker.
InterPride, the organization that coordinates World Pride events, has issued a travel advisory for transgender and nonbinary people planning to travel to the United States to participate in World Pride, which was held in Washington, D.C., last summer.
“As per an executive order issued by the President of the United States on January 20, all travelers must select either ‘male’ or ‘female’ when applying for entry or a visa. The gender listed at birth is considered valid,” InterPride’s advisory reads. “If your passport has an ‘X’ as a gender marker, or if your gender is different from your birth gender, we strongly recommend that you contact a U.S. diplomatic mission to confirm entry requirements before traveling. ”
LSVD points out that the German government has reiterated its travel advisory for 2025 ahead of the World Cup.
“Entrants of a different gender, those with an ‘X’ mark on their passports, and those who do not comply with state expectations during testing should expect problems in the United States,” the LSVD said.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
