2025
January 20th
Trump ends legal recognition of trans people
President Trump signed a sweeping executive order declaring that the federal government will no longer recognize transgender people by defining sex as strictly male or female based on characteristics at birth. The order requires federal agencies to remove references to gender identity from policies, mandates that government IDs reflect only sex assigned at birth, and eliminates accommodations for transgender individuals in federally-funded spaces like schools, shelters, and workplaces. It directs prisons to house transgender women with men, rescinds federal funding for gender-affirming healthcare, and eliminates federal protections against discrimination based on gender identity, including under Title IX.
Source: The AdvocateJanuary 23rd
State Department freezes trans passport applications
Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed State Department staff to freeze all passport applications requesting "X" gender markers or changes to gender markers on existing passports. The directive mandates that only biological sex, not gender, can be used on official documents including passports and consular birth reports. While existing passports with "X" markers remain valid, renewals will be affected and further guidance on these passports will be provided through other channels.
Source: The GuardianJanuary 27th
Trump bans trans people from the military
President Trump signed an executive order barring transgender people from enlisting in the military and prohibits currently serving trans service members from transitioning. The order, titled "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness," rescinded Biden-era policies that allowed trans people to serve openly and receive coverage for transition-related medical care through TRICARE. The order requires the Defense Department to update its medical standards within 60 days, end the use of chosen pronouns, and prohibit people assigned male at birth from using women's facilities.
Source: NBC NewsJanuary 28th
Trump bans care for trans youth
President Trump signed an executive order ending federal support for gender-affirming care for people under 19 by directing federally-run insurance programs like TRICARE and Medicaid to exclude coverage for such care. The order targets hospitals and universities receiving federal funds that provide gender-affirming care, directs the Department of Justice to pursue litigation against the practice, and encourages Congress to pass laws allowing people who received care (or their parents) to sue providers. It also calls for investigating states that protect access to gender-affirming care and those that shelter patients traveling from states where it's banned. Medical organizations like the American Medical Association support access to this care, which typically involves evaluation by medical professionals and may include social transitions, puberty blockers, or hormones, with surgery being extremely rare for minors.
Source: The Associated PressJanuary 29th
Trump bans schools from accepting trans students
President Trump signed an executive order barring federally-funded schools from allowing transgender students to use names, pronouns, bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams that align with their gender identity. It specifically targets social transitioning — including coming out as trans/nonbinary, using different names, changing dress or voice presentation — and requires schools to notify parents if students request to use different names or pronouns. The order uses federal funding as leverage to impose these restrictions.
Source: The AdvocateJanuary 31st
Trans content is removed from websites government-wide
Federal agencies began removing or altering website content related to gender and diversity in response to Trump administration directives, with many pages displaying "page not found" or "access denied" messages. Key changes included the temporary shutdown of Census.gov, removal of CDC pages containing LGBTQ health data and resources, deletion of Department of Education resources for LGBTQ students, and alteration of State Department travel guidance to remove references to transgender and queer individuals. The changes stemmed from Office of Personnel Management memos requiring agencies to eliminate content that "inculcate or promote gender ideology." While website changes between administrations are common, watchdog groups note this effort's unusually broad scope in attempting to remove all references to gender across government websites.
Source: PBSJanuary 31st
Social Security Administration bans sex updates
The Social Security Administration put an immediate halt to all sex identification changes in its Numerical Identification System (NUMIDENT). The "emergency message" directed field offices to stop processing any requests to change sex markers (male to female or female to male) in Social Security records. This represents a significant reversal of previous policies: in 2013, the SSA had eliminated the requirement for gender-affirming surgery to change sex identification, requiring only a physician's certification of appropriate clinical treatment, and in 2022, it had further simplified the process to allow self-selection without medical documentation.
Source: Law DorkFebruary 5th
Trump bans trans girls and women from competing in women's sports
President Trump signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" that bans transgender athletes from participating in women's sports and directs federal agencies to enforce this ban. The order requires the Department of Justice to interpret Title IX rules as prohibiting transgender girls and women from competing in female sports categories and threatens schools and athletic associations with legal action and loss of federal funding if they don't comply. The order also directs the State Department to push for changes within the International Olympic Committee and requires DHS to review visa policies to prevent transgender women from identifying as female in sports contexts.
Source: ABC News