If you have a charming crystal hanging in your office window that diffuses sunlight into delightful rainbows on your walls, you might need to reconsider its place if it was found at NASA’s headquarters in Washington D.C. In fact, any decorative items associated with rainbows could be discarded alongside your beautiful, sun-catching piece due to the agency’s recent initiative to eliminate symbols representing LGBTQI+ Pride from its premises.

Reports indicate that staff at NASA’s D.C. headquarters have been instructed not to display Pride symbols on themselves or within their workspaces, as outlined in a NASA Watch article. This development comes amid a series of executive orders signed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which influence policy reform across NASA and other federal entities, specifically impacting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts.

In recent weeks, NASA employees nationwide have received communications announcing the dissolution of DEIA offices and new compliance requirements set forth by the Trump administration. Notably, the directive regarding Pride symbols was shared only verbally, with implications of administrative penalty for those who do not comply, as highlighted in the NASA Watch report. A joint statement from prominent members of the U.S. House Space and Aeronautics Committee, Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC), characterized this action as “an outrageous overreach.”

“This is an excessive measure and a direct infringement on the free speech and dignity of NASA employees,” they declared, emphasizing that “this government-endorsed censorship reflects a significant violation of the rights of federal workers and cannot be tolerated.”

They attribute the situation to President Trump and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, claiming that their biases and discriminatory views are “permeating into Washington.” Additionally, NASA’s websites that previously featured content on diversity, highlights of women in STEM, leadership opportunities, and information about employee resource groups like NASA’s Rainbow Alliance Advisory Group (RAAG) have seemingly been erased from access.

A June 7 Instagram update from NASA Glenn during the 2024 Pride parade in Cleveland, Ohio, previously described RAAG as “an employee resource group that supports and advocates for the LGBTQI+ community, fostering an inclusive atmosphere at NASA.” Both this post and the RAAG webpage have since been removed.

The alterations within the agency are comprehensive. They include the removal of extensive employee profiles that once showcased diversity at NASA, alongside prohibiting the use of preferred pronouns. Reports indicate that employees were told that the agency could “automatically eliminate pronouns from everyone’s [email] signatures,” shared one NASA staff member with Space.com.