Human rights group flashes 'banned words' across Trump's D.C. hotel

Dec. 20 (UPI) -- The Human Rights Campaign and artist Robin Bell flashed a series of words across the front of President Donald Trump's luxury hotel in Washington, D.C. -- words supposedly banned by his administration.

Last weekend, The Washington Post reported that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had informed the Health and Human Services that they should avoid using certain words or phrases.

The Post reported that offices at the Centers for Disease Control were given a list of seven prohibited words or phrases -- "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based."

The Human Rights Campaign and Bell projected the words onto the Trump International Hotel Tuesday night, as a show of protest.

"Our message for the Trump-Pence Administration is this: you cannot erase us. We will meet attacks on our community with a resolve to be louder and more visible than ever before," David Stacy, HRC Director of Government Affairs, said in a statement.

"The American public deserves to know the degree to which the Trump-Pence Administration has interfered with the life-saving work of the CDC."

The campaign warned of "potentially catastrophic consequences" from ignoring the words purportedly barred by the administration -- comparing the scenario to former President Ronald Reagan's handling of a high-profile illness during the 1980s.

"It was not long ago that the government tried to ignore the reality of the HIV and AIDS crisis to the detriment of millions," Stacy said. "it could impact the very programs most vital to the health of transgender people, women, youth and others."

In response to the Post report, CDC chief Brenda Fitzgerald refuted claims of the "banned words."

"I want to assure you there are no banned words at CDC," Fitzgerald tweeted Sunday. "We will continue to talk about all our important public health programs."

.@HRC protests tonight in powerful display projected at Trump's DC Hotel. The projection rotated words Trump-Pence administration reportedly banned at the CDC, including "transgender" & "diversity" - and ended with a declaration from the #LGBTQ community: "we will not be erased." pic.twitter.com/Yq8aQQdaRX

- HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) December 20, 2017