The recent actions taken by President Donald Trump have sent a ripple of concern through the transgender community, as a series of executive orders have been issued that directly target their rights. With strong language, Trump has asserted that “medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex.” This stance is a stark reversal of the policies of former President Joe Biden’s administration and major medical organizations that supported gender-affirming care.
The American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern over these orders, with lawyer Sruti Swaminathan stating that provisions should first go through federal rulemaking procedures, which can be years long and include the chance for public comment. Sarah Warbelow, the legal director at Human Rights Campaign, emphasized that when the nation’s commander-in-chief demonizes transgender people, it sends a signal to all Americans.
One of the key takeaways from Trump’s actions is the recognition of people as only men or women. The order questions the existence of transgender individuals by stating that the government will only recognize two unchangeable sexes: female and male. This move is purportedly aimed at protecting women, but it fundamentally attacks the dignity, safety, and well-being of transgender individuals. The document calls on government agencies to use the new definitions of the sexes and to stop using taxpayer money to promote what it calls “gender ideology.”
Federal agencies have been quick to comply, with the acting chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announcing the removal of identity pronouns from employees’ online profiles and disallowing the “X” gender marker for those filing discrimination charges. The Bureau of Prisons has stopped reporting the number of transgender incarcerated people, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has removed lessons on building supportive school environments for transgender and nonbinary students.
Researchers have found that less than 1% of adults identify as transgender, and under 2% are intersex, or born with physical traits that don’t fit typical definitions for male or female. Despite these statistics, Trump’s policies have been swift and far-reaching. The State Department has stopped granting requests for new or updated passports with gender markers that don’t conform to the new definition, and the option to choose “X” has been taken off online passport application forms.
The ACLU is considering a lawsuit against this move, which has significant implications for transgender individuals who wish to travel. Transgender women in federal custody are being moved to men’s prisons, a policy that has been met with widespread criticism. The Human Rights Campaign has received reports from lawyers that some have been transferred, and there have been at least two lawsuits trying to block the policy.
Trump has also set the stage for a ban on transgender people in the military, directing the Defense Secretary to come up with a new policy on the issue by late March. This move has been met with resistance, with a group of active military members promptly suing over the new order. Furthermore, Trump has called for halting the use of federal money to support gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth under 19 years old, which includes puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgery.
The order would cut off government health insurance, including Medicaid and TRICARE, which serves military families, for these treatments. Some hospitals have paused some gender-affirming care for people under 19 following the executive order, while they evaluate how it might apply to them. Another executive order seeks to stop “radical indoctrination” in the nation’s school system, calling on the Education Department to come up with a policy blocking schools from using federal funds to support students who are socially transitioning or using their curriculum to promote the idea that gender can be fluid.
This move has significant implications for transgender students, who may face discrimination and marginalization as a result. The order would block schools from requiring teachers and other school staff to use names and pronouns that align with transgender students’ gender identity rather than the sex they were assigned at birth. As the situation continues to unfold, it is essential to remember that transgender individuals deserve respect, dignity, and equal rights. We must stand in solidarity with the transgender community and advocate for policies that promote inclusivity, acceptance, and understanding.