Report: Trump administration considers narrow definition of gender, threatening transgender protections

The Trump administration is facing backlash for reportedly considering defining a person’s gender as the one identified at birth based on genitalia.

According to the New York Times which released the story Sunday, it would be “the most drastic move yet in a governmentwide effort to roll back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law.”

The piece goes on to point out that “the new definition would essentially eradicate federal recognition of the estimated 1.4 million Americans who have opted to recognize themselves — surgically or otherwise — as a gender other than the one they were born into.”

In response, Danica Roem, the first openly transgender member of the Virginia House of Delegates, tweeted a link to the Times report and wrote: “Singling out and stigmatizing your transgender constituents isn’t just the antithesis of constituent service; it’s dangerous and gets us killed. I shouldn’t have to have more faith in @LambdaLegal than the POTUS to prevent this horror show but here we are.”

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Advocate attorney David Leopold blasted the potential move, saying: “Trump admin considers all-out attack on transgender community in move that would exclude the population from civil rights protections.”

Chelsea Clinton also voiced her disapproval, writing: “The Trump Administration ‘Eyes Defining Transgender Out of Existence,’ at a moment when transgender Americans face high levels of discrimination and violence. Outrageous and wrong to lessen protections and attempt to deny equal humanity.”