Jim Parsons Calls Out Trump for Cutting LGBTQ+ Crisis Support: “It’s Cruel”

The Trump administration continues to strew controversies across the US, including shutting down one of the nation’s LGBTQ+ crisis hotlines. Former Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons was not afraid to call out the President for this “literally criminal” act against the community.

What Happened to the US LGBTQ+ Crisis Hotline 988?

As of July 18, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline no longer has a specialized LGBTQ+ operation. What does this mean, exactly? Callers won’t have the option to “press 3” and reach counselors trained to respond to LGBTQ+ crisis issues.

The hotline was established in July 2022. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) data, 16.5 million have called, texted, or sent chats to the 988 Lifeline over the last 3 years. Of that total, 1.5 million managed to reroute to specialized counselors for LGBTQ+ issues.

Despite signing into law the 988 lifeline to serve veterans and LGBTQ+ youth in his first term, the Trump administration announced in a press release that they will “no longer silo LGB+ youth services, also known as the ‘Press 3 option’, to focus on serving all help seekers.”

Although the Trevor Project, one of the many organizations that has been serving the gay and trans youth community through their own lifeline before 988, will still be providing their support, Jim Parsons, who is best known for playing Sheldon Cooper on the hit sitcom Big Bang Theory, recently spoke out against the President and the administration’s decision.

What Did Big Bang Theory Star Jim Parsons Say About the Standing Issue?

“I think it’s quite literally criminal,” Parsons said in a recent appearance on MSNBC’s The Weekend (via The Daily Beast), “It’s one of the kinds of decisions that you’re like, ‘There’s no good reason for it.'”

Parsons, who is openly gay and married his husband Todd Spiewak in 2017, has always spoken up when it comes to the protection and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, and cutting down suicide hotlines meant to serve them is nothing short of cruel.

As Senator Tammy Baldwin (who wrote the bipartisan legislation that created 988) told NPR, the Trump administration’s decision to end LGBTQ+ specialized hotline services is a “political move.”

Parsons added that robbing the LGBTQ+ community of something so crucial to their lives is “never going to be justified.”

“It’s only hurtful and it feels like it’s only being done to make a point,” Parsons continued, “We’re getting rid of this because we want to make sure certain people understand they’re not welcome here.”

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