Muhamad Yehia
The President of the United States has ruled that America will recognise only two sexes: male and female. Many were quick to point out Donald Trump doesn’t know the difference between ‘sex’ and ‘gender’, and celebrities have expressed their support for those impacted by his new executive order.
The second coming of Donald Trump is here, and between missed kisses, Bible scandals and Elon Musk’s Nazi-like salute, it’s off to a predictably troubling start. To put it mildly.
The president celebrated by signing close to 100 executive orders, some signed during an arena show with a desk placed on stage and the pens thrown into the crowd.
Textbook demagogue for some; proud showman for others.
Among the executive orders, Trump withdrew from the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Accords, ended birthright citizenship, paused the TikTok ban (just as braincells were starting to regenerate and despite the fact that Trump has been on camera saying that he was planning to ban it in the first place), and sweeping pardons for the January 6 “hostages” – a move which made The Dark Knight Rises’ Bane look misunderstood.
Then came his ‘two gender policy’.
During his inauguration speech, the President declared: “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”
It appeared that he mixed up the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ and many were quick to point out his blunder.
Trump’s administration clarified that the president would sign an executive order that would recognise two sexes only, declaring that they cannot be changed and that federal employers would need to use the term ‘sex’, not ‘gender’.
As he needs reminding, it’s worth mentioning that sex refers to biological and physiological characteristics of males and females, such as reproductive organs, chromosomes and hormones. Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men.
Trump’s declaration and signing of the order titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” will eliminate recognition of transgender and nonbinary identities at the federal level, barring individuals from updating gender markers on passports and other federal documents that currently allow for “X” gender markers.
The Biden administration had allowed such updates, viewing them as critical for equality for nonbinary people.
Trump’s order impacts about 1.6 million of Americans who identify as transgender, according to data from UCLA.
Celebrities have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the policy, which will have a damaging effect on the LGBTQ+ community.
Singer and Wicked actress Ariana Grande shared a series of Instagram Stories highlighting the struggles that the LGBTQIA+ community have faced during the election campaign from Trump’s administration and his supporters.
After Trump’s policy declaration, she said: “Let’s be very clear: queer and trans people were here before Donald Trump and will continued to be here after he’s dead. Whether or not you want to us to exist is secondary to the simple fact that we do. The sun does not care if you sign an executive order telling it to stop rising each morning. It just continues to rise.”
Rock band Garbage wrote on Instagram: “Queer,trans and non binary peoples have existed since the dawn of time. They will continue to exist whether you choose to recognize this or not. They will exist long past the current administration and long past all of our lifetimes.”
The post continued: “An enormous shout out to so many of our beautiful friends who have to wake up this morning feeling pressured and fearful. We stand with you all. You belong in this world as much as anyone else does. Of course you all know this. Only an uneducated person or an unnecessarily cruel person would think otherwise. We send you our love this morning and every morning. You go on being beautiful you. That’s what you do. Go baby go. We are right behind you.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage shared a snippet of Trump’s speech on Instagram Stories and wrote over it: “YOU WILL NOT ERASE MY CHILD.”
Drag Race luminaries like Niecy Nash and Cynthia Lee Fontaine commented on GLAAD’s update on Trump’s ruling. Fontaine commented: “Trash. But we will continue to ensure we will continued with our rights. We will NOT be silent.”
Elsewhere, Norwegian singer-songwriter AURORA took to Instagram Stories to speak to her transgender followers: “To all my [transgender] friends, coworkers and in general all the beautiful members of the trans community in the USA, which if haven’t had the pleasure to meet yet. I am in deep sorrow of how you have been failed by your own government.”
She continued: “The right to be seen and heard is truly important. And the right to be who we truly are, is vital. I want you to know that my heart is with you. And my concern with the way the world is moving is deepened. The fear of the unknown, and the fear of what is different is not something we’re born with. It’s learnt.”
“And I hope once again – we’ll remain reminded of the power of love and the power of the people. May we never stop, in our humble request – to be free in who we are and how we want to live our lives,” AURORA concluded.