The US government has introduced a new executive order establishing an official policy that gender is defined biologically at birth only. The move has already sparked much debate and raises serious concerns for LGBTQ+ rights in the US. Transgender people in particular risk losing protection in everyday life, and in the world of sports, new rules could have a significant impact on the participation of transgender athletes.
The new executive order, signed by President Donald Trump on January 30, 2025, is called "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government". The document states that gender can only be defined by biological characteristics at birth. This means that the concept of "gender identity" will no longer be recognized in federal documents and legislation.
In practice, this could have implications for transgender people in terms of access to healthcare, legal documents and protection from discrimination. Former President Joe Biden had worked to expand protections for transgender rights during his time in office, but the new executive order rolls back several of these initiatives.
Civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have criticized the new policy and are warning of legal action to fight it. According to the ACLU, transgender people will now face additional bureaucratic barriers when it comes to passports, driver's licenses and health insurance information, where gender can no longer be changed based on a person's gender identity.
Furthermore, the policy could mean that employers, hospitals and schools are no longer obligated to respect transgender people's gender identity in official settings. This creates a situation where transgender people risk being excluded from basic social services.
The decree has also left its mark on the sports world. Five days after it was signed, a new order was issued that explicitly bans trans women from participating in women's sports. The so-called "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" order instructs federal and state governments to ensure that sports are segregated based on biological sex.
This means that transgender girls and women can no longer participate in women's sports in schools, universities and professional leagues. The restriction could have major implications for the 2028 Olympics, where transgender athletes may now be barred from competing in their preferred categories. Proponents of the ordinance believe it protects fairness in women's sports, while opponents see it as a discriminatory exclusion of transgender people.
Several civil rights groups have already announced that they will legally challenge the ordinance. Precedent shows that similar attempts to restrict transgender rights have been blocked by the courts in the past. In March, the first court cases against the ordinance are expected to take place, where activists and legal experts will argue that it violates the constitution's principle of equal treatment.
In the meantime, the debate continues. While the government maintains that the policy is necessary to protect "biological truth", the LGBTQ+ community fears a rollback of rights that many have fought for for decades. The coming months will be crucial to see if this executive order will be upheld, blocked by the courts, or met with further resistance from the public and political actors.
According to a new poll, the American public is split in their opinion on President Trump's recent order to close all federal offices of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI). 51% of respondents oppose the decision, while 44% support it - a split that primarily reflects party political lines.
This split shows how polarized the debate on gender and inclusion has become in the US. While opponents believe that closing DEI offices will reduce protections for minorities and weaken gender equality efforts, supporters argue that the initiative will ensure that public resources are not spent on "ideological programs". Regardless of the direction the legislation takes, this divide is likely to shape the upcoming presidential election and political discussions in the US.
The situation in the US is evolving rapidly and details in this article may change in the near future. We will continue to monitor developments and update this article if necessary.
