By: Isuru Parakrama
January 21, World (LNW): In his inaugural speech yesterday (Jan 20), new US President Donald Trump made a stark and regressive announcement that sent shockwaves through the nation and the world.
By declaring that the United States will henceforth recognise only two genders, “male” and “female”, he has set a policy that will jeopardise the rights, dignity, and safety of millions of Americans, specifically those who identify as transgender or non-binary.
This decision represents not only a blatant disregard for the diverse experiences of gender, but also an affront to the progress made by countless activists and organisations advocating for human rights and equality.
With an estimated 3 million people in the United States identifying as transgender or non-binary, as indicated by the US Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, this policy will directly impact over 1 per cent (1.14 per cent) of the population.
These individuals, who already face systemic discrimination and violence, will now be further marginalised by a government that refuses to acknowledge their identities.
The rhetoric used by Trump, referring to non-binary and transgender identities as “socially engineered race”, reveals a profound misunderstanding of both gender and history.
It echoes dangerous ideologies that seek to erase the diverse spectrum of human identity and force individuals into narrow, binary categories that have no basis in the lived realities of many.
The far-right ideologies that Trump endorses not only undermine basic human rights but also perpetuate the colonial mindset that has historically sought to erase indigenous and non-Western ways of understanding gender. Across the globe, many cultures have long recognised more than two genders, from the hijra community in South Asia to the Two-Spirit people amongst Native American tribes.
These cultural frameworks, which celebrate gender diversity, were brutally genocided by colonial powers that imposed Western gender norms influenced by the Roman Catholic Bible through violence, discrimination, and legal persecution. Trump’s stance, rooted in a return to an outdated and exclusionary worldview, echoes this colonial history, where difference was not tolerated but erased.
The implications of such a policy are far-reaching. Transgender and non-binary individuals will likely face increased obstacles in securing basic rights, such as healthcare, education, and employment, as well as legal recognition of their gender.
This decision also undermines the progress made in fostering inclusive spaces, such as schools, workplaces, and public services, where all people, regardless of gender identity, should feel valued and safe.
The far-right ideology that Trump champions, which seeks to deny the existence of a gender spectrum, is not just an attack on the LGBTQIA+ community but also a setback for broader societal progress towards inclusivity and equality.
Furthermore, the psychological toll on transgender and non-binary individuals cannot be underestimated. Being told that your identity is invalid, or that it is the result of some sort of societal manipulation, can be devastating.
This policy disregards the overwhelming body of scientific research that affirms the validity of gender identities outside the binary, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and perpetuating stigma.
Further fuelling the feud against queer individuals, Trump also announced that the US will be officially exiting the World Health Organisation (WHO), a global body that continues to remain steadfast for diverse sexual identities regardless of regional politics, in what he described as response to its ‘mishandling’ of the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only has Trump resorted to axe-grinding against the WHO over his own failures in containing the pandemic, but he has also set ground for conservatives to question the credibility of the global healthcare provider.
By adopting this policy, Trump is aligning himself with a dangerous ideology that ignores the complexity of human identity and perpetuates division. Whilst progress has been made in some areas, there is still much work to be done to protect and uphold the rights of all people, regardless of their gender identity.
The decision to enforce a binary gender system is not just a policy mistake; it is a moral failure that stands in direct opposition to the values of equality, justice, and human dignity.
