This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Noble Attempt (talk | contribs) at 04:48, 21 January 2025 (Created article for new Executive Order regarding sex and gender identity and blocking of promotion of gender identity beyond "male and female" sexes. Title is temporary until an official executive order number is listed per the Federal Register or another official source.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 04:48, 21 January 2025 by Noble Attempt (talk | contribs) (Created article for new Executive Order regarding sex and gender identity and blocking of promotion of gender identity beyond "male and female" sexes. Title is temporary until an official executive order number is listed per the Federal Register or another official source.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government" | |
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| Type | Executive order |
|---|---|
| Signed by | Donald Trump on January 20, 2025 (2025-01-20) |
| Summary | |
| Established federal policies regarding sex and gender identity across federal government agencies | |
Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government is an executive order signed by United States President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, during the first day of his second presidential term. The order implemented strict "male and female" biological definitions of sex and mandated their use throughout the federal government while rescinding numerous previous policies regarding gender identity.
Background
The Biden administration implemented several policies supporting transgender rights and gender identity recognition in federal institutions. Notable among these was the March 31, 2023 guidance from the United States Office of Personnel Management, which mandated accurate reflection of federal employees' gender identities in workplace documentation. Additionally, in March 2022, the State Department had introduced the option for passport applicants to select "X" as their gender marker, in order to accommodate nonbinary, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals.
During his second inaugural speech, Donald Trump promised that he would make it official federal government policy for there to be "only two genders, male and female".
Provisions
The order was premised on the Trump administration's position that recent enacted by policies had undermined biological distinctions between sexes. The directive expressed concern about what it termed "ideologues who deny the biological reality of sex" and claimed they and their recently enacted policies had negatively impacted women's rights, safety, and well-being. The administration positioned the order as necessary for maintaining scientific integrity and public trust in government, opposing an "ongoing and purposeful attack" against traditional biological and scientific terminology.
Section 2
Section 2 of the order established formal federal definitions of key terms, defining sex as an "immutable biological classification" determined at conception and explicitly separating it from the concept of gender identity. It established definitions for "women," "men," "girls," and "boys" based on biological sex, with "female" specifically defined as belonging to the sex that produces "large reproductive cells" and "male" as belonging to the sex that produces "small reproductive cells", both determined at conception. The section also provided formal definitions of "gender ideology" and "gender identity", characterizing the former as a framework that replaces biological categories with "ever-shifting" self-assessed identity, and the latter as a subjective sense of self disconnected from biological reality.
Section 3
Section 3 outlined implementation requirements across federal agencies. The Department of Health and Human Services was given 30 days to provide expanded guidance on the sex-based definitions. All federal agencies and employees were directed to enforce sex-based rights and protections using the order's definitions, with specific requirements for terminology use in official documents and communications.
The section also directed changes to government identification documents through the Departments of State and Homeland Security, requiring passports, visas, and other documents to reflect biological sex as defined in the order. It prohibited the use of federal funds to promote "gender ideology", prohibited its promotion all internal and external federal communications, and mandated the removal of related existing content.
Section 4
Section 4 established specific policies regarding sex-segregated facilities, citing Part 115.41 of Title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the Americans with Disabilities Act. It directed the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure biological sex-based assignments in federal prisons and detention centers. The Department of Housing and Urban Development was instructed to revise policies regarding single-sex facilities, particularly affecting rape shelters. The Bureau of Prisons was directed to modify medical care policies and prohibit the use of federal funds towards any kind of gender-affirming medications or medical procedures.
Sections 5-8
Section 5 directed the Attorney General to issue guidance protecting expression regarding "the binary nature of sex" and single-sex spaces in workplaces and federally funded entities. This included the rescinding of It established priorities for civil rights investigations and litigation related to these issues.
Section 6 issued requirements for the White House Director of Legislative Affairs to present proposed legislation codifying the order's definitions within 30 days.
Section 7 explicitly rescinded multiple Biden administration executive orders— including orders 13988, 14004, 14020, 14021, and 14075— and dissolved the White House Gender Policy Council. It also listed specific guidance documents to be rescinded, particularly from the Department of Education. Federal agencies were given 120 days to report on their compliance efforts through the Office of Management and Budget.
Section 8 outlined general legal provisions regarding the order's implementation and scope, which included a severability clause ensuring partial invalidity would not affect the entire order.
Response
The Human Rights Campaign, a prominent LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, immediately expressed opposition to these executive actions. Their president, Kelley Robinson, characterized the orders as potentially harmful to LGBTQ+ families and communities. The organization announced plans to challenge these executive actions through both legislative and judicial channels. Advocates for Trans Equality stated that it would continue to protect national transgender rights.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice stated that it would continue to "confront hate and discrimination in all its forms".
References
- ^ "Trump administration to acknowledge only a person's gender assigned at birth, officials say". ABC News. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
- ^ Pengelly, Martin (2025-01-21). "Trump rolls back trans and gender-identity rights and takes aim at DEI". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government". The White House. 2025-01-21. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- Saric, Ivana (2025-01-21). "Trump targets transgender protections in new executive order". Axios. Retrieved 2025-01-21.