A week after a flurry of executive orders, Trump is still signing orders to target the trans community. The latest, released Tuesday, tries to ban trans youth care nationwide.
Important to note there is no such thing as any Executive Order which has any force of law at all, which is contrary to any federal law or the constitution. For that matter, regulations made pursuant to law I believe supersede any EO. It is likely little to none of the EO will be allowed to go into effect.
The intent is clear, and that intent should not be forgotten or forgiven.
The Chevron ruling being overturned last year might also bite them in the ass here, which makes new federal regulations harder to create. Usually that benefits Republicans who want usually want to deregulate, but this is quite the opposite.
I share Erin's concern though about them "flooding the zone" and how important it is for Hospitals and the medical community to hold firm and not "comply in advance". I really have no sense for how likely that is or is not. Speculating a bit - in states where gender affirming care is protected, they might face other lawsuits if they do. Hopefully that's enough incentive to wait for the courts, but in states without the protections that incentive isn't there.
If the hospitals would hold firm, like the school districts seem to be, I think that's plausible.
The problem is, there are now multiple hospitals in blue states that have ended gender-affirming care for people 19 and under, according to Erin's recent reporting. We need to put pressure on healthcare to hold the line until reinforcements arrive. Contact state and federal reps to hopefully get media attention on them so they can't just quietly end care.
Fucking transphobes and their "mutilation" propaganda. No medical procedures on cisgender people are ever termed "mutilation" but now *hormone blockers* are "mutilation"? The people who write this stuff and push this narrative are the *real* sick child abusers.
Thank you Erin. Really appreciate your work. II'm sure you're having the same range of awful emotions the rest of us are, so I'm amazed you're able to focus on work enough to break this down for us. (My brain is still trying to figure out what to say when i call my local politicians.)
Erin- I appreciate your work SO much, as always. These are the most trying difficult times that trans people have ever faced in recent history and it’s bound to get worse.
One thing I cannot emphasize enough is that these christian nationalists behind the EOs can’t be assuaged or reasoned with. They have NO stopping point and are thus very dangerous. No healthy society would be systematically stripping away civil rights and medical care from people - especially when these rights have been in place for decades. This cannot end well, though who knows what will happen.
I want to point out one other thing. Section 5 explicitly calls out Medicare and Medicaid. I would like to point out that disabled minors usually cannot get Medicare only Medicaid. Medicare is for adults with disability and those over 65. So I’m almost wondering if he is squeaking that in just like he did with WPATH to start to lay the groundwork for impacting all adults not just people under 19.
The fact that this calls out Medicare makes me think that this could impact me even though I’m over 19.
Thank you, Erin, for your determination, steadfastness, and courage. It must take a lot of all three for you to keep reporting about such willful ignorance and cruelty in these difficult times. Sometimes I don’t know how you do it. You are deeply appreciated.
"Junk science"?? This ENTIRE EO is based on nothing BUT junk science. Trans care IS healthcare and these people conveniently dispense with actual, peer-reviewed SCIENCE to justify their anti-trans IDEOLOGY.
And that's what this is entirely based on: IDEOLOGY.
Trump is Adolf Hitler and we Trans people are the Jews in that metaphor.
1. I’m Jewish, so I can say that:
2. Brown-skinned latinos may be the Jews and we queer people may be just like the queers in Nazi Germany: persecuted by both the Nazis *and* the so-called “liberators”.
nah we aren't even the Jews in that metaphor. His first target was the trans community. E.g. the burning of the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft. We are the canary.
i think it's especially notable that this puts such heavy focus on kids' potential infertility--
"Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding. Moreover, these vulnerable youths’ medical bills may rise throughout their lifetimes, as they are often trapped with lifelong medical complications, a losing war with their own bodies, and, tragically, sterilization."
like, ultimately so much of this comes back to the desire to control children's bodies, particularly children these people see as "female"/"women," because they're afraid of lost reproductive potential. andrea long chu's excellent "freedom of sex" touches on this--the transphobe fear of future generations not having enough reproductive power. (and i would hazard to guess that most of these people specifically want more /white/ reproductive power, since white supremacy and transphobia are hand in hand)
I have said this before in various other contexts, I will say it again. I think Erin missed this.
This particular order, specifically the WPATH portion, is probably also liable to cause pilots to lose their Medical Certificates if the government promotes conversion therapy in their own SOC. This will affect both professionals in aviation and hobbyists.
It may also affect other professions (People who drive with CDLs?), and I’m terrified that it might lead to an outright ban on most trans care, not just for those under 19.
Honestly I’m also terrified that the government may also establish suitability guidelines that will kick out trans civil servants as well at this point, given the language in other EOs.
Never thought I'd EVER be grateful that my daughter had to give up learning to fly a few months ago because of ADHD- but at least now she won't have to give it to for being trans. (Damn, im having to look really hard to find things to be grateful for today, ugh)
i’m confused what pilots have to do with this? are you saying the pilots of airlines will be liable if folks seek GAC outside of their states by flight?
I’m saying that to legally fly a plane (professionally or for leisure) in the USA, you need a medical certificate, issued by the FAA (via an AME), certification under BasicMed (which is an alternative specific to the USA only), or a flight medical certificate issued by a foreign country (for residents of foreign countries). This is all controlled by the FAA, and ICAO, and involves a medical exam with a doctor, an AME, or your PCP under BasicMed.
You need to report Gender Dysphoria and trans status under that regime. The current handling for that in an FAA Medical exam is handled using WPATH derived guidelines. Different countries can and do use different guidelines for gender dysphoria despite ICAO guidance.
Not to mention if they start classifying gender dysphoria as a mental illness. I believe that would be an automatic disqualification for a pilots license.
Such classification could also be used as a pretext for denying trans people access to drivers' licenses, firearms, or restrict where we may live and where we're allowed to go.
Or, y'know, to involuntarily commit and forcibly detransition us.
There are already classes of mental health conditions which restrict or revoke various rights or privileges. The process is already fully-developed and in place; they'd only need to co-opt it for its new purpose. There is simply no end to the harm that can be done with such a policy.
BTW, Sec 1557 of the PPACA ("ACA") is the healthcare nondiscrimination section (applying both to medical providers and insurance benefit providers). The last time he fiddled with this section, he wrote all trans people out of the nondiscrimination language, and I'm sure that's how he'll do it again. I doubt it will pertain just to people 19 and under.
How in the hell can these SOB’s think that this is something the majority of the American people want???
It is unlawful and particularly egregious as an invasion of the family and the parents’ right to determine appropriate care for their children, regardless of the cost. Do these idiots think that parents do NOT consider all the ramifications of supporting their children and providing these children the best medical care possible for them?
I sincerely hope that there are literally hundreds of lawsuits against the Federal Government and in particular the President who signed this EO, and that implementation of this “Order” is delayed and delayed and delayed. Just as Trump has used delay in the courts to avoid his transgressions, we must use delays to keep his EO’s tied up in court for years.
I just sent this email to our local newspaper of record; I got so angry not seeing any news about these EOs which should be front page.
I am wondering why the Seattle Times is not covering the horrendous Executive Orders related to transgender rights!?! The goal of this Administration is to legislate them out of existence. I have family members and know others who are in this small and vulnerable community. They are being completely thrown under the bus by Project 2025, and I have yet to see any of the mainstream news media covering this barbaric travesty. You can get details from Substack's Erin in the Morning , which is Erin Reed's newsletter; she is a Montana based journalist who is tracking every EO related to this community and breaking down what it means. It pains me greatly to see folks who do not know any transgender people speak about that community with any degree of authority. They have no idea of the painful lived experience that these folks have gone through.
This new Administration is going to go after same sex marriage and the gay community next.
Important to note there is no such thing as any Executive Order which has any force of law at all, which is contrary to any federal law or the constitution. For that matter, regulations made pursuant to law I believe supersede any EO. It is likely little to none of the EO will be allowed to go into effect.
The intent is clear, and that intent should not be forgotten or forgiven.
Thank you, Erin
The Chevron ruling being overturned last year might also bite them in the ass here, which makes new federal regulations harder to create. Usually that benefits Republicans who want usually want to deregulate, but this is quite the opposite.
I share Erin's concern though about them "flooding the zone" and how important it is for Hospitals and the medical community to hold firm and not "comply in advance". I really have no sense for how likely that is or is not. Speculating a bit - in states where gender affirming care is protected, they might face other lawsuits if they do. Hopefully that's enough incentive to wait for the courts, but in states without the protections that incentive isn't there.
Thanks for keeping us informed Erin!
I am beginning to feel that all these EO's are a ruse. Like his EO's regarding immigration.
There's something afoot that is bigger than all else.
I feel as though most of this will not pass muster in the courts.
I'll keep watching, though. Especially reading Erin's links.
I'm hopeful, not convinced that this will all fold.
If the hospitals would hold firm, like the school districts seem to be, I think that's plausible.
The problem is, there are now multiple hospitals in blue states that have ended gender-affirming care for people 19 and under, according to Erin's recent reporting. We need to put pressure on healthcare to hold the line until reinforcements arrive. Contact state and federal reps to hopefully get media attention on them so they can't just quietly end care.
Fucking transphobes and their "mutilation" propaganda. No medical procedures on cisgender people are ever termed "mutilation" but now *hormone blockers* are "mutilation"? The people who write this stuff and push this narrative are the *real* sick child abusers.
Maybe it's time we start talking about MGM (male genital mutilation, a.k.a. "circumcision"). Muddy the water a bit.
Thank you Erin. Really appreciate your work. II'm sure you're having the same range of awful emotions the rest of us are, so I'm amazed you're able to focus on work enough to break this down for us. (My brain is still trying to figure out what to say when i call my local politicians.)
Erin- I appreciate your work SO much, as always. These are the most trying difficult times that trans people have ever faced in recent history and it’s bound to get worse.
One thing I cannot emphasize enough is that these christian nationalists behind the EOs can’t be assuaged or reasoned with. They have NO stopping point and are thus very dangerous. No healthy society would be systematically stripping away civil rights and medical care from people - especially when these rights have been in place for decades. This cannot end well, though who knows what will happen.
I want to point out one other thing. Section 5 explicitly calls out Medicare and Medicaid. I would like to point out that disabled minors usually cannot get Medicare only Medicaid. Medicare is for adults with disability and those over 65. So I’m almost wondering if he is squeaking that in just like he did with WPATH to start to lay the groundwork for impacting all adults not just people under 19.
The fact that this calls out Medicare makes me think that this could impact me even though I’m over 19.
Jessica, I noted this also and had/have the same concerns as you. Thanks for pointing it out here!
Oh, fuck, is this scary or what? Stay strong, siblings. Tie yourself into your local community aid; it's gonna be a bumpy decade.
Thank you, Erin, for your determination, steadfastness, and courage. It must take a lot of all three for you to keep reporting about such willful ignorance and cruelty in these difficult times. Sometimes I don’t know how you do it. You are deeply appreciated.
"Junk science"?? This ENTIRE EO is based on nothing BUT junk science. Trans care IS healthcare and these people conveniently dispense with actual, peer-reviewed SCIENCE to justify their anti-trans IDEOLOGY.
And that's what this is entirely based on: IDEOLOGY.
Trump is Adolf Hitler and we Trans people are the Jews in that metaphor.
1. I’m Jewish, so I can say that:
2. Brown-skinned latinos may be the Jews and we queer people may be just like the queers in Nazi Germany: persecuted by both the Nazis *and* the so-called “liberators”.
nah we aren't even the Jews in that metaphor. His first target was the trans community. E.g. the burning of the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft. We are the canary.
Read #2. I think we’re in agreement.
i think it's especially notable that this puts such heavy focus on kids' potential infertility--
"Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding. Moreover, these vulnerable youths’ medical bills may rise throughout their lifetimes, as they are often trapped with lifelong medical complications, a losing war with their own bodies, and, tragically, sterilization."
like, ultimately so much of this comes back to the desire to control children's bodies, particularly children these people see as "female"/"women," because they're afraid of lost reproductive potential. andrea long chu's excellent "freedom of sex" touches on this--the transphobe fear of future generations not having enough reproductive power. (and i would hazard to guess that most of these people specifically want more /white/ reproductive power, since white supremacy and transphobia are hand in hand)
Chemical Mutilation does not seem to apply to the use of drugs used for lethal injection protocols. But if that isn't Chemical Mutilation, what is?
I have said this before in various other contexts, I will say it again. I think Erin missed this.
This particular order, specifically the WPATH portion, is probably also liable to cause pilots to lose their Medical Certificates if the government promotes conversion therapy in their own SOC. This will affect both professionals in aviation and hobbyists.
It may also affect other professions (People who drive with CDLs?), and I’m terrified that it might lead to an outright ban on most trans care, not just for those under 19.
Honestly I’m also terrified that the government may also establish suitability guidelines that will kick out trans civil servants as well at this point, given the language in other EOs.
😔
Never thought I'd EVER be grateful that my daughter had to give up learning to fly a few months ago because of ADHD- but at least now she won't have to give it to for being trans. (Damn, im having to look really hard to find things to be grateful for today, ugh)
i’m confused what pilots have to do with this? are you saying the pilots of airlines will be liable if folks seek GAC outside of their states by flight?
No,
I’m saying that to legally fly a plane (professionally or for leisure) in the USA, you need a medical certificate, issued by the FAA (via an AME), certification under BasicMed (which is an alternative specific to the USA only), or a flight medical certificate issued by a foreign country (for residents of foreign countries). This is all controlled by the FAA, and ICAO, and involves a medical exam with a doctor, an AME, or your PCP under BasicMed.
You need to report Gender Dysphoria and trans status under that regime. The current handling for that in an FAA Medical exam is handled using WPATH derived guidelines. Different countries can and do use different guidelines for gender dysphoria despite ICAO guidance.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_certifications_for_pilots
Not to mention if they start classifying gender dysphoria as a mental illness. I believe that would be an automatic disqualification for a pilots license.
Such classification could also be used as a pretext for denying trans people access to drivers' licenses, firearms, or restrict where we may live and where we're allowed to go.
Or, y'know, to involuntarily commit and forcibly detransition us.
There are already classes of mental health conditions which restrict or revoke various rights or privileges. The process is already fully-developed and in place; they'd only need to co-opt it for its new purpose. There is simply no end to the harm that can be done with such a policy.
That's chilling.
got it, that makes a lot more sense to me! thank you
BTW, Sec 1557 of the PPACA ("ACA") is the healthcare nondiscrimination section (applying both to medical providers and insurance benefit providers). The last time he fiddled with this section, he wrote all trans people out of the nondiscrimination language, and I'm sure that's how he'll do it again. I doubt it will pertain just to people 19 and under.
How in the hell can these SOB’s think that this is something the majority of the American people want???
It is unlawful and particularly egregious as an invasion of the family and the parents’ right to determine appropriate care for their children, regardless of the cost. Do these idiots think that parents do NOT consider all the ramifications of supporting their children and providing these children the best medical care possible for them?
I sincerely hope that there are literally hundreds of lawsuits against the Federal Government and in particular the President who signed this EO, and that implementation of this “Order” is delayed and delayed and delayed. Just as Trump has used delay in the courts to avoid his transgressions, we must use delays to keep his EO’s tied up in court for years.
Erin - Is there a way we can post this on social media so others can see this?
I just sent this email to our local newspaper of record; I got so angry not seeing any news about these EOs which should be front page.
I am wondering why the Seattle Times is not covering the horrendous Executive Orders related to transgender rights!?! The goal of this Administration is to legislate them out of existence. I have family members and know others who are in this small and vulnerable community. They are being completely thrown under the bus by Project 2025, and I have yet to see any of the mainstream news media covering this barbaric travesty. You can get details from Substack's Erin in the Morning , which is Erin Reed's newsletter; she is a Montana based journalist who is tracking every EO related to this community and breaking down what it means. It pains me greatly to see folks who do not know any transgender people speak about that community with any degree of authority. They have no idea of the painful lived experience that these folks have gone through.
This new Administration is going to go after same sex marriage and the gay community next.