Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave's On the Ground Battle Creek series.

BATTLE CREEK, MI — Cultivating and maintaining a lower profile is becoming a reality for some members of Battle Creek’s LGBTQIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) community as they weigh the impact of an incoming presidential administration that threatens to undo the gains they’ve made.
 
For those who identify as LGBTQIA, Project 2025 a presidential transition plan spearheaded and organized by the far-right Heritage Foundation, is a stark reminder of the “what ifs” many now feel compelled to address, says Deana Spencer, President of Battle Creek Pride.
 
“The plan includes firing federal employees that oppose or insufficiently support right-wing policies, ending access to abortion and contraception, and eliminating protections for LGBTQ people,” according to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). “The document even calls for erasing LGBTQ-inclusive language throughout federal agencies such as the terms sexual orientation and gender identity ('SOGI'), diversity, equity, and inclusion, gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender awareness, gender-sensitive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights.” 
 
Following the presidential election, Spencer says her organization decided to host a gathering on November 13 at their Resource Center to provide support and guidance after seeing increased social media posts and comments regarding people's fears and concerns. 
 
Courtesy photoDeana Spencer, co-founder of BC Pride.“We wanted to provide a safe space for folks to share community following the outcome of the election,” Spencer says. “Many people are sad, scared, and angry and don't know where to turn or what to do. We wanted to offer the space to simply gather to mourn, vent, cry, and simply support each other.”
 
These gatherings will be ongoing as the impact of the new administration is felt.

Safe spaces and practical workshops planned
 
“We are trying to remember that we can only control what we can control. What that means for us and the community is that we will gather more frequently, we will tighten our circles and expand our support,” Spencer says.“We will offer safety in numbers and create safe spaces. We are already planning a workshop that will cover funeral trusts and pre-funeral planning, patient advocacy and advanced care directives, and wills, trusts, and POAs. These will take place during the first part of next year, and likely in the month of January. We need to offer resources and information on how folks can legally protect themselves, their assets, and their families.”
 
Kellie Podolsky, an Attorney with Podolsky and Wickham in Battle Creek, was mentioned in some of the social media posts Spencer saw as a good legal resource. Although Podolsky says that less than five percent of her clients identify as LGBTQIA+, she knows there are concerns nationwide from groups she belongs to.
 
“It’s more of the unease of the unknown,” she says. “We don’t know what’s going to happen and you want to take every precaution.”
 
For this reason, Podolsky says it’s “super important to make sure all your estate planning documents are up to date. You need to be making sure you’re identifying individuals by name in all of those documents rather than referring to them as ‘my spouse”. All directives need to be very clear in the event that you become incapacitated or pass away.”
 
She had a friend out of state who married earlier than planned recently just to be safe even though the wedding wasn’t supposed to happen until 2025.
 
If the changes called for in Project 2025 are acted upon, Spencer says there will be a lasting impact that goes well beyond the next Presidential election.
 
“I am concerned about appointees that have term limits beyond four years. I am afraid of term limits being abolished and having this as our reality well beyond the end of 2028,” she says.
 
Kim Langridge, Immediate Past President of BC Pride, has the same concerns. She says she doesn’t worry for herself so much, but she is concerned about the United States, democracy, and transgender and LGBTQ people everywhere, especially young people who are just starting their journey as part of these communities.
 
“The changes called for in Project 2025 are going to be so deeply institutionalized that next election won’t be able to undo the damage that will have already been done,” says Langridge who identifies as transgender. “This feels more dangerous. It’s a lot more mean and serious than anything I’ve experienced.”
 
A lifelong resident of Marshall, Langridge says she’s glad she lives in Michigan where the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are all women and Democrats. In addition, Marshall Pride was formed last year adding another level of support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
 
“We’ve become an easy target for conservatives. They always seem to need a target which used to be Black people, then Asians and women, and now it's trans people,” Langridge says. “I’ve lived in Marshall my entire life and I don’t have a lot of cares and concerns for my personal well-being. I’ve never been threatened. It may be foolhardy to think this way especially now that the gloves are off with Trump supporters who have essentially been given license to do and say anything. “
 
Although Langridge will continue to speak out and advocate for her community, Spencer says she knows of others who identify as LGBTQIA+ who will be staying off of social media and more closely vetting allies. At the same time, she says others are choosing to fight even harder, louder, and more visibly than ever before.
 
“I have been hearing chatter that says some will retreat and isolate, some, in essence, are going underground like we had to decades ago,” Spencer says. “I think most of us are unsure what to do and how to do it and will be figuring it out as we go as we assess moment by moment what is safe.”
 
Allies, she says, can create safe spaces for the LGBTQIA community literally and figuratively.
 
“They can help advocate for changes in their organizations, churches, places of employment, and families. They can VOTE for ALL humanity and they can encourage others to do the same,” Spencer says. “They can always share with others why they are allies, and appeal to folks' compassion and human spirit to continue to change minds.”