Trump Launches Promised Attack on Trans Rights

In his first hours as president, Donald Trump has signed an executive order declaring that the government will recognise "only two genders." The White House has informed American media that Trump’s promised attack on transgender rights will be further developed. The decree could also have far-reaching consequences for intersex individuals.
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The new US president signalled his intent to restrict transgender rights during his inaugural speech. When he stated that "there are only two genders, male and female," he received an ovation from those in attendance.

The executive order signed by the president refers to the "unhealthy road" the United States has supposedly taken regarding legal protections for transgender individuals. According to Trump, his administration aims to "protect women." The order directs the government to replace the term "gender" with "sex" in official policies. Furthermore, it instructs federal agencies to halt policies concerning transgender employees, students, or customers. The Trump administration also seeks to roll back programmes aimed at combating discrimination against LGBT+ individuals in schools.

The US government's decision to recognise only two genders under Trump’s administration poses challenges not only for transgender individuals but also for Americans who are intersex. Despite claims by the Trump administration that their policies are based on "biological facts," intersex individuals are likely to lose their right to have an "X" gender marker on passports.

The largest LGBT+ rights organisation in the United States, the Human Rights Campaign, expressed grave concern over Trump’s policies: "Our community has fought for decades to ensure that our relationships are respected at work, that our identities are accepted at school, and that our service is honoured in the military. Any attack on our rights threatens the rights of any person who doesn’t fit into the narrow view of how they should look and act. The incoming administration is trying to divide our communities in the hope that we forget what makes us strong. But we refuse to back down or be intimidated."

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