In his inauguration speech, President Donald Trump declared that the federal government would recognize “only two genders,” a move that deeply upset many in the LGBTQ+ community. His executive order, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” defines gender strictly as male or female based on biological sex, rejecting gender identity. The policy mandates that government forms and communications no longer promote gender ideology, focusing only on biological sex.
As part of the policy’s rollout, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a passport ban that removes the “X” gender marker option for transgender and non-binary individuals, aligning official documents with Trump’s definition of gender. The change reverses a policy by former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, which had introduced the “X” marker for those with unspecified or non-binary gender identities. Trump’s administration also plans to end federal programs supporting gender transition and gender-affirming care.