In a significant shift in policy, the federal government, under an anticipated executive order from President Donald Trump, is set to recognize only two genders: male and female. This decision comes as a reversal of initiatives implemented by the previous Biden administration, which sought to expand recognition of various gender identities across federal operations—including vital documentation such as passports.
During an inaugural address, Trump articulated this new policy, stating, “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.” This announcement marks an early endeavor to fulfill one of Trump’s campaign pledges regarding cultural issues, significantly affecting how gender is approached and acknowledged within federal frameworks.
A Trump administration official elaborated on the purpose of this executive order, suggesting it is designed to combat what they termed “gender ideology extremism” while reaffirming “biological truths.” This individual maintained that the distinctions of male and female are biologically immutable, asserting that they are well-grounded in objective reality. The order does not merely redefine terminology but also mandates that the federal lexicon transition from the term “gender” to “sex,” positioning sex as a fixed biological classification for individuals.
To operationalize this new directive, all government agencies will be required to ensure that important official documents—such as passports and visas—accurately reflect a person’s categorized sex. Furthermore, sensitive environments such as federal prisons, shelters for migrants and survivors of sexual violence, and other intimate spaces will be mandated to maintain single-sex spaces to protect individuals’ privacy. Employee records will also need to conform to the outlined criteria, as well as communications disseminated by federal entities.
An official communicated that federal agencies would cease the promotion of gender ideology through their materials and forms. Moreover, scrutiny of grants and contracts will be implemented to guarantee that federal funding does not inadvertently facilitate the advocacy of gender ideology initiatives.
This executive order would dismantle the framework set by the Biden administration, which aimed for greater inclusivity in recognizing various gender identities. As it stands, policies established in 2022 allowed U.S. citizens the option to select “X” as their gender marker on passports, a move aimed at eliminating the need for gender designation to align strictly with a person’s birth certificate or photo identification. Moreover, individuals were not required to provide medical documentation to pursue a change in gender identifier.
The State Department’s communications emphasized a commitment to promoting equality, dignity, and freedom for all individuals, including those within the LGBTQI+ community, indicating an inclusive operational ethos. Throughout the year, the ability for Americans to change their sex identification without medical certification was also expanded within the Social Security Administration’s processes. However, it is noteworthy that the record management system within Social Security still relies on male or female classifications, indicating a gap that may require further adjustment to recognize the “X” designation effectively.
Kilolo Kijakazi, who served as the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration during this transition, articulated the organization’s commitment to mitigating administrative hurdles and ensuring that individuals who identify as gender diverse or transgender have accessible options in the Social Security number application process. This highlights the ongoing efforts to adapt to the evolving landscape of gender identification within the framework of federal governance.
Overall, the impending executive order signifies a pivotal moment in the discourse surrounding gender identity and representation in the United States, with broader implications for various aspects of social policy, personal documentation, and the rights of individuals identifying beyond the binary classification. The response from civil rights advocates and the LGBTQI+ community to these legislative changes will be crucial as the country navigates this evolution in federal gender identity policy.
