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.