Trump Order Defines Sex as Binary, Cites Gametes, Faces Backlash

Jan 24, 2025, 09:56 AM

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order defining sex as strictly binary, recognizing only male and female based on a gamete-based definition at conception. The order eliminates federal recognition of gender identity, impacting approximately 1.6 million transgender and nonbinary Americans. It also bans taxpayer funding for gender-affirming care, restricts federal funds from institutions promoting gender ideology, and directs changes in federal prisons, such as barring trans women from women's facilities. The move has faced widespread criticism from scientists and legal experts, who argue that the order ignores decades of biological research and is scientifically unsound. Researchers highlight that sex and gender are complex, multidimensional concepts influenced by biological and social factors, and the binary definition fails to account for intersex individuals or variations in human development. The policy is expected to face legal challenges for contradicting existing laws and court rulings, including the Supreme Court's decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. Critics also warn of potential harm to marginalized communities and the elimination of funding for research into transgender and intersex health outcomes.