Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, criticized President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring that there are only two sexes that are not changeable. She described the order as “red meat for his extreme base” and emphasized that the American people want a government that respects everyone and focuses on lowering costs for workers, rather than on divisive issues like gender.
Trump’s order, signed shortly after his inauguration, states that the U.S. government will recognize only male and female sexes as grounded in reality. It directs changes to government-issued identification documents and prohibits federal funds from promoting what it calls “gender ideology.” The order also bars the Bureau of Prisons from providing transition-related medical care to transgender inmates.
McBride acknowledged that the actions resulting from Trump’s order could have real consequences for LGBTQ individuals, affecting privacy, access to accurate identity documents, and federal programs. However, she noted that Supreme Court precedent protects LGBTQ people under federal civil rights laws, despite any executive action attempting to undermine these protections.
Trump’s order also referenced the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, which extended employment discrimination protection to LGBTQ individuals. The order sought to counter the application of this decision to federal laws like Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in schools and education programs.
McBride emphasized that while Trump’s order may impact transgender individuals, it cannot erase the diverse gender identities present in society or the LGBTQ community as a whole. She stressed that no policy or executive action can eliminate the reality of gender diversity and the existence of LGBTQ individuals.
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