The latest actions by President Donald Trump have sparked a wave of concern and outrage among the transgender community and its allies. With a series of executive orders, Trump has targeted transgender and nonbinary people, questioning their existence and erasing their identities. The orders have been met with strong language, including assertions 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 rhetoric is not only harmful but also misinformation, as it goes against the policies of former President Joe Biden’s administration and major medical organizations that support gender-affirming care.
One of the most alarming aspects of these orders is the attempt to redefine the concept of sex, recognizing only two unchangeable sexes: female and male. This move is a blatant attempt to erase the identities of transgender and nonbinary individuals, denying them their dignity, safety, and well-being. The order also calls on government agencies to stop using taxpayer money to promote “gender ideology,” a term used to describe the idea that gender falls along a spectrum. This is a fundamental attack on the rights and freedoms of transgender people, who have the right to live their lives authentically and without fear of persecution.
The impact of these orders is already being felt, with federal agencies quickly complying with the new definitions of sex. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, for example, has announced that it will remove identity pronouns from employees’ online profiles and disallow 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. These actions are a clear attempt to erase the existence of transgender people and deny them the resources and support they need.
The orders also include specific policies that target transgender people, such as denying requests for passport gender markers that don’t conform to the new definition of sex. The State Department has stopped granting requests for new or updated passports with an “X” gender marker, and will not honor requests to change gender markers between “M” and “F” for transgender people. This is a devastating blow to transgender individuals who rely on these documents to travel and live their lives freely.
Furthermore, Trump’s orders have also led to the transfer of transgender women from women’s prisons to men’s prisons, a move that puts them at risk of violence and harassment. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not responded to requests for information about these transfers, but reports from lawyers and advocacy groups suggest that they are already happening. This is a clear violation of the human rights of transgender people, who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
The orders 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 is a repeat of Trump’s previous attempt to ban transgender service members, which was blocked by a court. The new order asserts that being transgender “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.” This is a blatant attempt to discriminate against transgender people and deny them the opportunity to serve their country.
In addition, Trump’s orders call for defunding gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth under 19 years old. This move would cut off government health insurance, including Medicaid and TRICARE, for treatments such as puberty blocking drugs, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgery. This is a devastating blow to transgender youth, who rely on these treatments to live their lives authentically and without suffering from gender dysphoria.
Finally, the orders also seek to stop schools from helping students with social transitioning, 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 is a clear attempt to erase the existence of transgender students and deny them the support and resources they need to thrive.
In conclusion, the latest actions by President Trump are a blatant attack on the rights and freedoms of transgender people. They are a clear attempt to erase their existence, deny them their dignity and safety, and restrict their access to resources and support. It is imperative that we stand in solidarity with the transgender community and fight against these discriminatory policies. We must recognize the humanity and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity, and work towards creating a world that is inclusive and accepting of all people.