From his inaugural speech, Donald Trump confirmed his intent to turn away from gender and diversity-inclusive policies. The 47th President of the United States announced the official recognition of only two genders: male and female. He also decided to eliminate federal funding for diversity programs within the administration.
The Republican president’s assumption of power represents “a significant step backward for all women,” laments Sébastien Roux, a CNRS researcher at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Social Issues and an expert on “Trumpism,” adding, “even more so for trans women.”
“Two genders: male and female”
“This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life,” Trump declared during his speech, his expression serious. “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female,” he added.
This announcement is part of a series of measures aimed at putting an end to what the former president describes as the “transgender delusion.” His team confirmed that this promise would be implemented through executive orders signed immediately after his inauguration. According to an anonymous source within the administration, “this concerns sexes that are immutable and based on a fundamental and indisputable reality.”
A symbolic move against “woke” culture
Just minutes before the inauguration ceremony, White House officials had already circulated the information. “The executive order aims to protect women from the ideological extremism of gender and restore biological truth within the federal government,” stated a member of his administration on the condition of anonymity.
This crusade against progressivism also includes eliminating the “X” gender marker for non-binary individuals. Official documents, such as passports and visas, will reflect only the sex assigned at birth. This option, introduced under Joe Biden, will be abolished. “We will end this type of funding,” said a member of the administration regarding federal support for diversity programs.
Excluding transgender individuals
The former Republican president also confirmed his intention to exclude transgender individuals from the military and schools. This ban could affect approximately 15,000 transgender service members. However, these measures may face legal obstacles. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, bolstered by a 2020 Supreme Court ruling, protects employees from discrimination based on gender identity. Changing this law would require a congressional majority, which Trump currently holds only by a slim margin.
What makes Trump particularly dangerous “is his ability to make the Court [Supreme Court] even more partisan than it already is,” warns Sébastien Roux, CNRS researcher. “We should expect him to shape his policies to fulfill all his campaign promises.”
The tone of this new presidency has been set: a direct confrontation with “wokeism” and progressivism, introducing measures that deeply divide the United States and spark international controversy.