Trump and Transphobia

Amelia Cropley

Progressivism, we have come to learn, is known to be a process where every step brings us to a brighter, safer, equal society, or at least that is the goal. A process which, whilst maybe slow moving, is constantly advancing, tackling inequality one step at a time, and one day, just hopefully, bringing us to a place where we live in harmony with one another.  

1.3 million adults in the US identify as trans or gender non-conforming

And LGBTQ+ rights, and more specifically trans rights, have been an example of this progressivism, over time creating space for their rightful acceptance in the world. At a time, progressivism was in eyesight, but with the current political climate, are we now looking at it through the rear-view mirror? 

It was estimated earlier this year by Williams Institute, that 1.3 million adults in the US identify as trans or gender non-conforming, and as many as 5 million American adults are intersex. It seems almost unfathomable that one man in power can take away the rights and freedoms of these millions of individuals, and yet it is so wrongfully plausible. We know him as Donald Trump. 

 Trump’s executive order passed January 20th stated the US government will only recognise a person’s gender as their biological sex identified at birth.

Back in January, actress Hunter Schafer, 26, brought to the attention the reality of what is happening in many trans and gender nonconforming individuals’ lives. Following Trump’s executive order, these people received their passports with the gender they no longer identify with, a gender that is not themselves nor one in which they recognise as themselves. A gender that does not define their identity.  

Talking to TikTok, the actress revealed she faced ‘a bit of a harsh reality check today’, explaining when she received her passport, it presented the ‘M’ gender marker. Schafer revealed she had her gender markers changed to female in her teens during her transition, including those on her driving license and passport, which were changed without a problem. But seeing this male gender marker, despite transitioning to female and being legally identified as female for many years, this change is ‘a direct result of the administration our [the United States] country is currently operating under’, Hunter Schafer says.  

The ability for people to change their sex on passports and legal documents has been allowed in America since 2010 after a doctor certifies the applicant as being treated for gender transition. But Trump’s executive order passed January 20th stated the US government will only recognise a person’s gender as their biological sex identified at birth. Whilst their changed name remains on their passport, their current gender does not.  

 Instead of moving into a future of acceptance, trans people are forced to remain attached to a life they may want to be divided from

This not only revokes the progression made for the equality of trans and inter-sex people through Biden’s 2022 ruling, which allowed American citizens applying for a passport to select an ‘X’ as their gender marker, but also suspends the allowance of transgender, intersex, non-binary and gender non-confirming individuals to be represented on legal documents.  

Whilst Schafer remained adamant and strong that a letter on a piece of paper does not change her identity or deny her transness, it is clear Trump’s executive order has, and shall continue to, undoubtedly cause much upset amongst the transgender community to see their identity being refused and denied by the state and law, forcing those affected to be legally referred to as an identity that does not sit comfortable with them, and does not feel like the person they truly are. Instead of moving into a future of acceptance, trans people are forced to remain attached to a life they may want to be divided from, yet have no control in the matter.  

 Trump has been implementing more conservatively aligned viewpoints that neglect the necessary equality marginalised groups should be entitled to

Louis, who spoke to NPR about these harmful changes, states that after changing his driving license and social security number to reflect the female-to-male or FTM marker, he received a passport presenting the ‘female’ gender marker. Louis, like Schafer, said he was not surprised given the political climate and those in power, however, was still upsetting to witness this happen, along with the uncertainty and fear of what this means for the future of trans people.  

Like Schafer, Louis is now questioning his travel plans as interactions with US law enforcement could be scary and cause problems when his passport lists one gender, but his other documents present another. Hunter Schafer comments that when travelling, she expects it to now create suspicion and force her, like many other travelling trans people, to out themselves to border control. This can be distressing and often dysphoric and uncomfortable when placed in these pressuring situations.  

“I guess I am just sort of scared of the way this slowly gets implemented,’ Schafer said, ‘Historical rises of fascism and everything that this new administration represents.’ As seen since taking up office, Trump has been implementing more conservatively aligned viewpoints that neglect the necessary equality marginalised groups should be entitled to, and is often done so vitriolically, these people live in fear of discrimination and worse, their safety.  

 These changes have instilled distress for individuals who have to reveal their transness to someone they do not know and do not know to trust

Undoubtedly, these changes are making it harder and harder for transgender and gender non-conforming people to live in peace. These official documents, laced with bigotry risk delaying, or even potentially stopping, the progression and strides we have made to equality, but more pressing, is creating a society that marginalises already ostracised groups, and creating a society that does not protect those who do not fit the cis-heteronormative demographic.  

These changes have instilled distress for individuals who have to reveal their transness to someone they do not know and do not know to trust, or someone they do but have not shared this personal information with. These changes have heightened the fear of facing threatening situations where their safety is in jeopardy. But what next? Our biggest fear should be what if this is the beginning? What does this mean next for the rights of the entire LGBTQ+ community? 

Figures like Trump and his laws mean we stand on precarious melting ice.

In 2015, the Obergefell v Hodges ruling made sure that the Supreme Court acknowledges that all states must recognise same-sex marriages in and across states, a great step in creating equality. Despite expressing disapproval of this ruling, Trump’s first run in office did not revoke this law. Yet in light of his recent revisions in revoking many human rights, should we be preparing ourselves for the backwards steps in changing more rights such as Obergefell v Hodges? 

Transphobic ideologies and vantage points becoming widespread and mainstream in society are only leading to more instances of many being misgendered face-to-face and in official documents, that can only be unimaginably upsetting for those who have worked through tough times to fight and continue fighting for who they are. Figures like Trump and his laws mean we stand on precarious melting ice. The oppressive nature of these decisions, like Schafer and other trans people have pointed out since Trump’s executive order, makes it clear we have seen this film before. That their policies, apathy and power is creating an attitude that encourages discrimination, oppression and injustice.

Amelia Cropley