President Donald Trump has initiated a significant shift in U.S. government policy by signing executive orders that recognize only two sexes—male and female—stating that they are “not changeable.” The orders, which aim to reverse directives from the Biden administration regarding LGBTQ+ rights, define male and female strictly based on reproductive cells from the point of conception.Source: LA Times This change mandates that government-issued identification, including passports and visas, must align with this definition. Recent policies had allowed individuals to select a third option, “X,” to denote unspecified or other gender identities.

Additionally, Trump's orders target the elimination of any federal policies deemed to promote “gender ideology,” described as a flexible concept of self-assessed gender identity, thereby denying the validity of transgender identities. The directive specifies that federal agencies will enforce laws that protect biological distinctions between sexes, intending to prevent men from accessing “intimate single-sex spaces” designated for women.

Authorities are also instructed to ensure that those classified as male are not accommodated in women's correctional facilities. The orders further specify that federal funding for medical treatments or procedures related to gender transition for prisoners must be blocked. Kellan Baker, executive director of the Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker, called it an attempt to “wave a federal policy wand and make transgender people disappear,” a goal that Baker deemed impossible. He highlighted that any changes to detention policies would require rule-making processes before implementation, potentially placing transgender individuals, particularly transgender women, in danger while in custody.

These newly signed orders also revoke several executive actions from the previous administration that supported LGBTQ+ rights, including one that mandated federal agencies review regulations against sex discrimination, ensuring equal treatment irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation. Legal challenges are anticipated, with Kevin Jennings, the chief executive of Lambda Legal, asserting that they are prepared to contest these “unlawful and unconstitutional actions” as they unfold.Source: SFGate

During his campaign, Trump was vocal about opposing “left-wing gender insanity,” directly criticizing then-Vice President Kamala Harris regarding the provision of gender-affirming care within federal institutions. Furthermore, he promised to obstruct federal funds from being used for gender transition medical care, which he labeled as “mutilation”—a decision that experts argue could severely restrict healthcare access and funding streams for hospitals and clinics.

While the executive order does not extensively cover medical care related to gender transition outside of the constraints for prisoners, experts warn it could undermine protections for transgender patients by altering the interpretation of sex discrimination laws. The Biden administration had previously enacted regulations aimed at prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity within federally funded healthcare services. Notably, organizations like the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association have voiced support for improving access to gender-affirming care, viewing it as crucial for enhancing health outcomes among the transgender population.