NEW YORK, Feb 15, (V7N) – The National Park Service (NPS) has removed references to transgender and queer people from the official website of the Stonewall National Monument, igniting protests in New York City on Friday.

The website revision, which changed the commonly used "LGBTQ" acronym to "LGB" and erased mentions of transgender individuals, follows President Donald Trump’s executive order enforcing a strict binary definition of gender—limiting it to only male and female.

The Stonewall National Monument commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots, a pivotal event in the fight for LGBTQ rights. The monument, which includes the historic Stonewall Inn and a visitor center, was designated in 2016 as the first U.S. national monument to LGBTQ history.

For years, the website highlighted the role of transgender and non-binary people in the Stonewall uprising, acknowledging figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, prominent transgender activists. But as of Friday, all mentions of transgender and queer individuals were removed.

In response, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Greenwich Village, holding signs reading "Silence = Death" and "There’s No Stonewall Without the T."

New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the move as "cruel and petty."

"Transgender people played a critical role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights—and New York will never allow their contributions to be erased," Hochul posted on social media.

Trump has repeatedly targeted gender diversity, attacking transgender athletes, gender-affirming healthcare, and LGBTQ-inclusive policies. His administration has also rolled back protections for transgender people in housing, education, and healthcare.

LGBTQ rights groups have vowed to challenge the website changes, while advocacy organizations plan legal action against the federal government for erasing transgender history from a national landmark.

END/WD/RH/