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Trump administration loosens up transgender rights
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Prior to President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, Obama had put protections toward transgenders’ rights into action.
The 45th president of the United States of America repealed the protection from former president Barack Obama’s administration dealing with transgender citizens’ rights. The protection allowed transgender to use the restrooms based on the gender they identified as. Trump, however stated that this law should be individually determined depending on the states.
States such as Texas and North Carolina came head-to-head with this law during Obama’s presidency, and now the states, along with other conservatives, are pleased while civil rights activist are not.
“I was surprised, yet at the same time I had been expecting Trump to do something like that,” Gay and Proud Supporters (GAPS) President senior Kitty Lu said. “I don’t believe his attempt to take away transgender rights will affect California very much, but I am worried about trans people who live in conservative areas where they no longer have any support.”
Lu expressed her thoughts on Trump’s administration’s overall since the beginning of his presidency.
“Honestly, I am very disappointed in how the election and [Trump’s] first couple of months have ended,” Lu said. “It’s disappointing to see us going backwards instead of improving and moving forward. I think they should try to fix real problems like homelessness instead of worrying about which restroom other people use. If anyone does not feel safe going to a restroom or anywhere, I will gladly go with you even if it’s the guys’ restroom.”
Seventeen year-old Virginia high school senior Gavin Grimm is currently being affected by these actions. Grimm came out as transgender as a freshman and is now being forced to use the restroom his gender at birth is classified as due to parents’ complaints. He sued the school and is scheduled to have a trial on March 28 with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) representing him.
“While it’s disappointing to see the Trump administration revoke the guidance, the [Trump] administration cannot change what Title IX, [a federal law stating that no one should be discriminated toward]means,” ACLU. “When it decided to hear Gavin Grimm’s case, the Supreme Court said it would decide which interpretation of Title IX is correct, without taking any administration’s guidance into consideration.”
