By now you’ve probably heard the story as reported by the Washington Post, that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would undo the policies recently announced by the Obama administration demanding that transgender children be treated humanely and that transgender patients not face discrimination from health care providers.
In other words, Trump would allow states to oppress transgender children by giving schools the right to refuse to use correct pronouns, update their gender in official records, or permit them to use the correct restroom. States could set up insurance regulations under which insurers and providers could deny coverage to people simply because they are transgender.
Instead Trump claims he would “protect everyone”, a general statement which directly contradicts the very specific move he promised to make. Obviously, only one of those can be what he actually intends to do. The other is pure political rhetoric. If I had to guess which is which (and I do, since I will be voting for or against him in November) I would expect that he means what he says – that the Obama Administration’s call for transgender anti-discrimination protections will be gone.
I was afraid of this when I first heard of the letter Obama’s Department of Education sent to every school system in the country reminding them of their obligation to treat transgender students fairly — that it would last only until next January, the 20th to be exact.
You see, it is an executive order, issued by the president, and therefore able to be countermanded by the president, or any future president. For those not well versed in the details of American government, there are three branches, Executive (the president), Legislative (congress), and Judicial (the courts). Legislative actions are hard to complete, but when they do, they last until further legislative action repeals them or they are struck down by the courts. Judicial actions last until higher courts overrule them or they are clarified by further legislation. However, executive actions, like the protections offered by the Obama administration, can easily be reversed by the president with the stroke of a pen.
That’s exactly what Mr. Trump says he will do.
Make no mistake, states violate the law when they accept federal money but discriminate against transgender students and patients. As the Transadvocate points out, violation of these rules is a breach of contract with the government. The government requires states agree not to discriminate as a condition of receiving federal aid, so by breaking Obama’s rules, they are going back on their agreements.
Unfortunately, that only matters if the president and the Executive Branch are willing to enforce those agreements.
Obama will. Trump says he won’t.
8 Comments
In response to Trump’s “protect everyone” statement that’s like there was a gay club in my area. The ONLY gay club in my area and new owners came in and they say on their Facebook page that they aren’t exclusively a gay club that they welcome “everyone.” I am so scared of this administration as they are discriminating against transgender children and adults.
i am new to the whole transgender thing and i’m researching everyday to see if i’ll be able to transition to the real me. i read all these forums and informative articles and i fear transitioning i don’t like what this world is coming to with Obama LGBTQ individuals had security but with trump we have been losing it so quickly i have no LGBTQ places by me so i haven’t seen on a real level but i do have people in my life that are LGBTQ and they fear whats gonna happen next was Trump really a good idea i know he’s done some good things for the USA but he’s also doing bad things like this that hurt rather then help i’m scared to transition because what we are stuck with now. this post was made after Trump became president so i’m a little late. i am needing support from an outside source i don’t have what i need and that’s personal background info on how someone is living with this and is transgender.
I am a m-f transgender and living full time as a female and I can tell you I am scared. I have been living as a woman for years and never been this scared. I don’t like Trump at all and all he is doing is dividing this country more than ever. I am scared society is going to think it’s ok to bash transgenders. I want to see Trump impeached and convicted. He is acting like a dictator and he is out of hand.
That is what I fear most people are more focused on dividing the country from everyone else like Mexico and iraq instead of focusing on equality of its own people they are planning to take away school and job protection for lgbtq individuals and insurance was told “transgender don’t matter” and took away Obama Care which Obama Care was a great idea to boost are nation’s fairness for LGBTQ people. With this in mind Trump sounds like he hates other ways of life other races and just wants to focus on fame whether it’s good or bad. I told my dad I was transgender and he said I was watching to much anime and he used the other word for the bad part of anime it’s just everyone is a hypocrite Trump thinks lgbtq members get to much special treatment all we want is equal rights and safety he thinks his new plan to drive out all Obama’s done is a good idea which is wrong
Well, Trump is a liar. He said while he was campaigning he wasn’t going to hurt the lgbt community. Now look what he done! He shut out the media that he doesn’t like out of a press conference today. He only like organizations that have a good word for him. He acts like a spoiled baby. Still, I’m going out to a club tomorrow night. We all have to stick together you know? If you have a way to support groups you should go. If you are able to find a counselor that is knowledgeable about transgender issues or a gender clinic you should go and find out too if they have family counseling so they can explain things to your Dad. You need to find a support system to help you not feel so alone. Let me know how it goes! Good Luck! Things usually have a way of working out. Just don’t be afraid to be yourself because if you show you are afraid then they have won.
Your right don’t let them put me down “the battle has just started for me, but the war is still going on for everyone else in the lgbtq and I hope soon to join the frontlines” I believe it would be good to get him more involved but he fears that I’m just an actor and that I’ll regret my decision I’m pretty comfortable with it and have been seeing a transgender councillor for 4 months he is a wonderful person and helps me a lot I still have to get my mom to see him because she needs to feel easier about it. My dad may never change he’s judgemental and think ssdd only he’s right it was hard living with him for so long.
Well, the transgender community was just starting to feel good about themselves and then Trump and his cronies put the stop to that. Sometimes I think Trump enjoys creating controversy because even negative attention is still attention just like a child. That’s great you have been seeing a counselor! With your Dad, all you can do is try to get him to go with you to counseling. If he doesn’t want to go there’s nothing you can do about it. Just live your life and be yourself. Have you asked your counselor about support groups in your area? That would help you. I haven’t been out since Trump got in but when I go to the club tomorrow night I’m gonna see if they have any literature on support groups and literature on resisting Trump. God, I can’t tell you how much I hate Trump and I’m not one to quickly hate people but Trump really rubs me the wrong way. He is a loud mouthed bigot, a misogynist, a liar, a baby, act as if he is a dictator, hates to be ridiculed, is pig headed, narcissistic, cruel, disrespectful and there are people that actually support him? Something is wrong here. We need an honest, compassionate president. Not this thing. I call him a fake, so-called president lol. Just because the news says something truthful but bad about him he says it’s fake news. Give me a break!
I’m glad my vote was neutral in the vote for president. i was not aware of everything going on until i researched day in and day out. of whats going on in the world. i didn’t want to vote but i had the flu that day and everyone i know was saying vote trump but but i just stayed home if i voted Clinton at least at least LGBTQ status would have been a little higher because if i could of voted i believe that it would change something call me crazy but i believe for every action their is a consequence so there could have been a 1 in a billion chance the votes could be different just by changing what i did that day but enough science fiction. i talked to my councilor and i may be starting hormones soon but its all up to how i act for the next month he said he’ll be taking into account what i do, say, and hope i act. i am not naturally LGBTQ oriented because i lived in a shell all my life doing what others said was right so i formed a personality out of that and it matches my outer shell and not my inner self i do admit i do over react but i have a deep voice and i am built like a football player and i hate it but its naturally how i grew up i was forced into football my 7th grade year of school and couldn’t tackle because i am a pacifist and i was yelled at constantly by everyone who put me in that situation so from 8th grade on i found my true calling i wasn’t Cameron anymore it never felt right but who was i and the feeling of being in the wrong body kicked in i wasn’t a boy i was a girl growing up i only had a few male friends and a lot of female friends and i loved dressing up in dresses playing pretend with stuffed animals and barbies. i lived a lie all my life and then i freaked out i got aggressive toward my closest friend but with a pole with padding on the end i never physically hurt him but then i went into suicidal idealization and it lasted 14 years it got to be horrible cause i locked up who i was to make others happy but after 14 years i had enough i told my friends, my family, my doctors, even people i didn’t know and i felt relieved i felt whole but now i feel scared now that i let it out because trump is forcing all this horrible stuff on the people. we are having freedoms taken away and not getting anything back no security, unequal rights, i’m not a good person to advocate but i would to support Ohio’s LGBTQ i know that the advocates are working there hardest my college is 100% supportive of the LGBTQ they have clubs that revolve around the LGBTQ and even in the paperwork you fill out it mentions it. i been trying to get a hold of an advocate but he won’t call back or pick up he is female to male and supposedly really nice. if i want to be who i am even with the way the USA is would you recommend it?