Project 2025: A Threat to LGBTQ+ Authors and Free Speech
By Gunther Allen
A New Era of Political Fear
Today, we face a political moment unlike any other. Project 2025, promoted by far-right factions, targets more than policy. It threatens voices like mine—gay authors who dare to write truthfully. Although it’s billed as a transition blueprint, it reads like a silencing tool. Under a second Trump administration, this plan could reshape freedom of expression.
Notably, Project 2025 outlines government influence over culture and education. That spells danger for anyone writing LGBTQ+ stories. Historically, books have always stirred change. Now, they might get banned before they reach a shelf. Consequently, queer narratives risk erasure from the American literary landscape.
The Power of Queer Storytelling
For decades, gay fiction and non-fiction have offered visibility and healing. However, Project 2025 aims to undo that progress. It doesn’t just attack content—it attacks identity. Thus, writers like me are caught in the political crossfire. As a result, stories born from truth could vanish into silence.
Nevertheless, we must continue to write. We must refuse to vanish quietly. While political storms rage, art can still reach hearts. After all, literature remains a powerful form of resistance. Even when threatened, it endures.
Understanding the First Amendment
Fortunately, the Constitution offers some protection. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and expression. However, political pressure can still chip away at those rights. Over time, censorship often begins quietly—with library restrictions and school bans.
Then it escalates. Public funding might disappear. Bookstores may fear backlash. Authors will get blacklisted. Yet, even with all that, the First Amendment remains our strongest ally. Therefore, we must defend it fiercely.
What Happens If We Stay Silent
If we don’t speak up, we risk normalizing censorship. Today it’s gay fiction. Tomorrow it could be anything bold or brave. Censorship always starts with one target. But it rarely ends there. Moreover, the more we ignore it, the stronger it becomes.
Thus, silence equals surrender. LGBTQ+ voices must stay loud, even when it’s dangerous. Especially then.
The Role of Readers and Allies
Readers hold power. When you buy a book, attend a signing, or leave a review, you protect that voice. Allies, too, must speak out. When bookstores hesitate to stock LGBTQ+ titles, ask why. When libraries quietly remove queer content, challenge them.
Furthermore, community creates change. Supporting queer authors now sends a message: we will not be erased. Ever.
Final Thoughts: I Won’t Be Quiet
As Gunther Allen, I write gay fiction and memoir because it matters. I write because it’s true. While Project 2025 looms, I remain determined. Because history has shown us one clear truth—books change lives, and no policy can stop that forever.
We must stay vigilant. We must speak, write, publish, and read. And we must remind this country what freedom really means.
Support Independent LGBTQ+ Voices
If you believe in protecting Authors and Free Speech and uplifting authentic queer stories, I invite you to take action. Visit Gunther’s Book Store to explore my work and support independent publishing. Every purchase helps preserve our stories and keeps our voices heard—no matter who tries to silence them.
