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Donald Trump's government declares that trans & nonbinary people don't exist

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A protester holds a sign that reads, 'You cannot erase us.'

The United States government no longer recognizes the existence of gender-expansive Americans after President Donald Trump signed an executive order only hours after being sworn into office again.

Christopher Wiggins

Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).

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As one of his first executive orders since returning to office on Monday, President Donald Trump declared that the federal government would no longer recognize transgender people. The sweeping directive, titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," defines sex as strictly male or female based on the "immutable biological reality of sex" characteristics at birth. The new Republican administration claims this move will "defend women's rights" and restore "trust in government itself," as reported by The Advocate.

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The political order explicitly states, "It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality." It further asserts that "gender ideology replaces the biological category of sex with an ever-shifting concept of self-assessed gender identity," calling it a "false claim" that must be eliminated from federal policy. The medical community, including all major medical associations in America, acknowledges the existence of transgender and nonbinary identities.

The executive order goes beyond semantics, mandating changes with immediate and far-reaching consequences. It directs federal agencies to rewrite policies and remove references to gender identity. Passports, social security records, and other government-issued identification documents will now be required to reflect only an individual's sex assigned at birth. Schools, shelters, and workplaces that receive federal funding will no longer be required to accommodate transgender individuals' gender identities. In prisons and detention centers, the order directs that transgender women be housed with men, regardless of their safety or lived identity.