LGBTQ+ Rights
Presidential Executive Orders
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - This executive order establishes a policy that recognizes biological sex as binary and immutable, rejecting the concept of gender identity as a replacement for sex in federal policies and laws. It defines sex, male, female, and related terms based on biological criteria and directs federal agencies to enforce sex-based laws and protections accordingly.
The order emphasizes the Trump Administration’s position on specific language on gender, asserting that such clarity is essential for public trust, scientific integrity, and the protection of women’s rights. It mandates federal agencies to revise policies, forms, and documents to reflect these definitions, remove references to gender identity, and halt funding or promotion of "gender ideology." The directive rescinds previous guidance and executive orders that interpreted sex-based protections to include gender identity, including the interpretation under Bostock v. Clayton County.
The order requires government-issued identification and personnel records to reflect Administration policy on biological sex and ensures that single-sex spaces, such as prisons and shelters, remain segregated by biological sex. Federal funds are prohibited from supporting medical procedures that alter an individual’s appearance to conform to the opposite sex.
Additionally, the order directs the Attorney General and agency heads to prioritize the protection of sex-based rights in workplaces and federally funded entities, ensure compliance with this policy, and issue updated guidance within 30 days. It calls for legislation in Congress to codify the definitions and mandates agencies to report their progress in implementing the order within 120 days.
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - This executive order abolishes federally mandated diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and related programs initiated during the Biden Administration, citing them as discriminatory and misaligned with principles of equal dignity and respect for all Americans. The order directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Attorney General to oversee and coordinate the termination of all DEI-related mandates, policies, positions, training, and programs across federal agencies.
Key actions include:
Review and Termination: Agencies must terminate all DEI, DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility), and "environmental justice" offices, programs, grants, and positions within 60 days. Agencies must also ensure that DEI-related functions are not misleadingly relabeled to evade this directive.
Reporting and Assessment: Agencies must provide OMB with detailed reports on DEI-related positions, contracts, and expenditures as of November 4, 2024, and evaluate the costs and impacts of such programs under the prior administration.
Policy Realignment: Agencies must ensure that all operations, policies, and activities align with the principle of equal dignity and respect, emphasizing individual merit over DEI-based criteria.
Monthly Progress Review: The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy will convene monthly meetings with OMB, OPM, and agency leaders to monitor compliance, address challenges, and recommend further actions.
The order mandates ongoing evaluation of DEI's social and economic costs and identifies opportunities for further legislative or executive measures to advance the policy of equal treatment.
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The order asserts that the previous administration implemented unpopular and harmful practices, including embedding "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) into Federal institutions, which it claims undermines merit and equality. It criticizes open border policies for straining resources and climate policies for driving inflation and overregulation. Relevant executive orders revoked include:
Executive Order 14020 of March 8, 2021 (Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council).
Executive Order 14021 of March 8, 2021 (Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free From Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity).
Executive Order 14075 of June 15, 2022 (Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals).
The order mandates the immediate termination of Federal implementation of "unlawful and radical DEI ideology" by agency heads (SEE RELATED EXECUTIVE ORDER). It further directs the Directors of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and National Economic Council (NEC) to review actions taken under previous administration directives, recommending within 45 days which should be rescinded, replaced, or amended to "enhance American prosperity." Additionally, the National Security Advisor (NSA) must review all National Security Memoranda (NSMs) issued between January 20, 2021, and January 20, 2025, to identify any harm to national security, domestic resilience, or American values, and provide recommendations for rescission within the same timeframe.
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January 27, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The executive order focuses on maintaining high standards of readiness, lethality, and cohesion within the United States Armed Forces by restricting the inclusion of individuals with gender dysphoria or those who engage in gender identity practices inconsistent with their biological sex. The order directs the Department of Defense to update medical standards for military service to align with this policy and to eliminate the use of gender-based pronouns that do not reflect an individual's biological sex. It also mandates the implementation of strict regulations regarding the use of gender-specific facilities in the military, ensuring that males and females are not permitted to share sleeping, changing, or bathing areas designated for the opposite sex. Furthermore, the order revokes Executive Order 14004, which had allowed for the inclusion of individuals with gender dysphoria in military service, and requires the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to take steps to fully comply with the new provisions.
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January 27, 2025 (W.H. Link) -The executive order aims to eliminate race- and sex-based preferences and discrimination within the U.S. Armed Forces by abolishing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs that promote such practices. It emphasizes that the military should operate on merit, ensuring that personnel are chosen based on qualifications rather than race or sex. The order mandates the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to dismantle DEI offices and initiatives that undermine meritocracy, and it prohibits the promotion of divisive, discriminatory, or un-American theories such as "gender ideology" and "divisive concepts" within military institutions. Additionally, it directs an internal review of DEI-related actions and sets requirements for the military to teach a positive view of America and its founding documents. The order further instructs the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to issue guidance and report on implementation within specified timeframes.
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January 28, 2025 (W.H. Link) - This executive order, aims to halt the medical practice of transitioning children through chemical and surgical means, labeling such interventions as harmful and irreversible. It asserts that these procedures, which are sometimes referred to as "gender-affirming care," cause long-term physical and emotional harm to children, including sterilization and lifelong health complications. The order directs federal agencies to end any funding or support for these procedures, rescind policies based on the controversial World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidance, and remove them from federal insurance programs like TRICARE and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. It also mandates the Department of Justice to enforce laws against deceptive practices and investigate potential child abuse related to these medical interventions. The order outlines steps to ensure that no federal funding or support is provided for the transition of minors, while also directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to take actions to protect children from what the order refers to as "chemical and surgical mutilation."
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February 5, 2025 (W.H. Link) - This executive order establishes a federal policy aimed at protecting women's sports by prohibiting male participation in female athletic categories. Citing Title IX and recent court rulings, the order asserts that allowing men to compete in women’s sports is unfair, dangerous, and undermines equal opportunities for female athletes. To enforce this, the order mandates that educational institutions receiving federal funding must uphold sex-based eligibility in women’s sports, with non-compliant institutions facing funding rescissions. It also directs the Department of Education and the Department of Justice to prioritize Title IX enforcement against schools and athletic associations that permit male participation in female sports categories.
Additionally, the order extends beyond education by calling for broader policy changes to ensure fairness and safety in women’s sports at national and international levels. It instructs the Secretary of State to advocate for sex-based sports categories in international competitions, including the Olympics, and to withdraw U.S. support from sports programs that define female participation based on gender identity rather than sex. It also directs federal agencies to review immigration policies to prevent male athletes from entering the U.S. to compete in women's sports. The order underscores that all actions must comply with existing laws and budgets while clarifying that it does not create new legal rights or benefits.