Ariana Trelles-Duckett
Copy Editor & Contributing Writer
President Trump signed 37 executive orders in his first week in office. An executive order grants the president the ability to author their own directives. Orders can be implemented within weeks and have no limits on what they can regulate, though Congress and the Supreme Court have the power to block them.
Three of Trump’s recent orders center on gender and sex, highlighting the heated conversation around transgender rights and gender identity across the country.
“Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”
Published on Jan. 20 and declared effective immediately, this order is about the definition of a woman versus a man based on “biological reality.” The order states that gender identity does not correlate with an individual’s sexual identification. As a result, federal agencies may not promote the concept of “gender ideology.” For example, agencies — though no specific ones are named — cannot provide an option on official forms for a sex besides man or woman.
In conclusion, the use and implication of the term “sex” will replace the use of the term “gender” throughout many aspects of the federal government to promote the concept of two biological sexes and not of individuals’ gender-based identification.
For example, the CDC has had to remove portions of the information listed on their website which previously mentioned gender, including information for doctors about treating STDs and vaccinations.
“Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness”
The second order concerning gender and sex was signed on Jan. 27 and surrounds mental preparedness of individuals in the military. Department of Defense policy prevents the service of individuals with mental and physical health conditions, or with conditions which require extensive medical attention.
Included within mental and physical health conditions through Trump’s executive order are individuals “expressing a false ‘gender identity.’” Transgender women, individuals experiencing gender dysphoria, and individuals with “shifting pronoun usage” are now deemed unfit for all military service. The regulations outlined in the previous sex-based order, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” also apply to “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.”
“Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation”
Signed a day later on Jan. 28, this order centers on transgender healthcare for children under 19 years old. It states that medical professionals have been “maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children,” listing gender-affirming care under the category of mutilation.
Furthermore, the White House’s previous work with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health will now be discontinued and previous policies rescinded. The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense will be involved in implementing the order.