Trump expected to rescind protections for trans students

Updated

Although the White House last month insisted that President Donald Trump is "determined to protect the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ community," his administration will reportedly withdraw guidance for schools that allows transgender students to use facilities that match their gender identity.

According to a report by the Washington Blade, the Justice and Education departments are set to send a letter to schools rescinding guidelines issued under President Barack Obama that say they must permit transgender students to use bathrooms, dorms and other facilities of their choice, or else face potential lawsuits or a loss of federal aid. The Blade quoted Mara Keisling, the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, who said she heard this from "reliable sources."

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"This is first day of the president's second month in office, and he is now fully coming after LGBT people," Keisling said Monday, as quoted by the Blade. "I'm angry; I'm outraged. This is about kids who just want to go to school, who just want to be themselves, and to hear the president a week or two ago talk about how supportive he is of LGBT people, it's just outrageous that he go after trans kids this way."

When asked about the issue, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer confirmed on Tuesday that the administration is addressing it. "I think there will be further guidance coming from DOJ in particular with respect not just to the [Obama] executive order but also the case that is in front of the Supreme Court," he said, as quoted by BuzzFeed. "The president has maintained for a long time that this is a states' rights issue and not one for the federal government. So will there be further guidance coming out on this? I think all you have to do is look at what the president's view has been for a long time."

Last August, a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Obama administration from providing guidance to schools on transgender students. The injunction came as part of a lawsuit filed by Texas and 11 other states over the Obama policy. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it would no longer fight the injunction in court.

In January, the Trump administration stopped short of doing away with workplace protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

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