On Sunday morning, the New York Times published a report detailing a memo from the Trump administration that would effectively erase federal recognition of trans and nonbinary gender identities. The Department of Health and Human Services would make changes to Title IX definitions of gender, only recognizing male and female sex, which could be DNA tested to determine. It would also define gender as “unchangeable.”
The effects of such a policy would be devastating to over 1 million Americans — access to health care, housing, and other public services would be limited or withheld completely. This is not the Trump’s administration first attack on transgender Americans. Trump himself once tweeted out a proposal to not allow trans Americans to serve in the military.
In response to the latest proposal, trans and nonbinary people began to share photos of themselves under the hashtag #WontBeErased, as part of the larger response to Trump’s devastating policy proposal. Below are words and photos shared by the transgender and nonbinary community, and organizations who advocate for their human rights.
In addition to a response on social media, there were also be acts of protest occurring across the country. The Transgender Center for Equality and Lambda Legal announced that there will be a rally in New York City on Sunday at 6 p.m. Indya Moore, Lucy Diavolo, Tourmaline and more will speak at the event. On Monday, there will be a rally outside of the White House at 12:30 p.m.
