Within his first 24 hours as the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump swiftly signed a wave of executive orders.
Taking over from Joe Biden, the 78-year-old Republican wasted no time in approving several directives, including one declaring that there are “only two genders.”
What Are Executive Orders?
Simply put, executive orders are legally binding directives issued to the federal government that bypass congressional approval.
Presidents frequently use them to overturn the policies of their predecessors, and Trump was no exception—revoking 78 orders and actions previously signed by Democrat Joe Biden.
However, many of Trump’s decisions are expected to face strong opposition from Democrats.
What has Trump said about the LGBTQ+ community?
During his inaugural address, Trump declared, “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”
A newly implemented policy reinforces this stance, stating: “Agencies will cease pretending that men can be women and women can be men when enforcing laws that protect against sex discrimination. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
Additionally, the order aims to eliminate what it describes as “wasteful” government programs that promote diversity and inclusivity, while also focusing on “defending women from gender ideology extremism.”
What does Trump’s order mean for the LGBTQ+ community?
Before Monday’s ceremony on January 20, Trump vowed to direct all federal agencies to terminate programs that “promote … gender transition at any age” and to strip funding from hospitals offering gender-affirming care.
He also pledged to establish a federal policy preventing the U.S. government from legally recognizing transgender individuals and to roll back LGBTQ+ non-discrimination protections in areas such as housing, healthcare, and employment.
Additionally, according to The Guardian, Trump has pushed for new credentialing standards for teachers to “promote positive education about the nuclear family, the roles of mothers and fathers.” Notably, he has five children with three different women.
However, MedicalNewsToday outlines: “There is no fixed number of gender identities. They occur on a spectrum, which really means that the possibilities are infinite.
“Each person might find that a certain point on the spectrum feels most comfortable and accurate, and this may change over time.”