Show Up for Trans People and Against the Memo

On October 21, The New York Times leaked the Department of Health and Human Services’ draft memo, unveiling the federal administration’s intent to change the current definition of gender used by the government in order to roll back rights and privileges that had been won to protect our community, after years of work from transgender organizers. The memo outlines the violent attack upon transgender and non-binary people, defining gender as “a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth.” It would also require genetic testing to “dispute” the sex listed on a birth certificate. The article from the New York Times on this issue states, “For the last year, the Department of Health and Human Services has privately argued that the term “sex” was never meant to include gender identity or even homosexuality, and that the lack of clarity allowed the Obama administration to wrongfully extend civil rights protections to people who should not have them.”

Once again, the administration has made clear that they do not believe that queer and trans people should be protected under the laws and policies that govern this nation. This is extremely dangerous for the trans community. Already, trans people are largely unprotected from discrimination in employment, housing, healthcare, education, and other resources necessary for survival. When legal protections are in place, they are often inaccessible by the trans community, especially those who are poor, rural, undocumented, and/or of color. for many trans folks, this changes little about their protection under law, but incites further violence and attacks against their existence. This erasure of trans people will only serve to put us more at risk. This is a continuation of willful acts by the current administration to exterminate transgender people through a government that has never existed to protect trans folks.