Athlete Ally Responds to Trump Memo on Gender Definition
The Department of Health and Human Services memo on gender definition proposes a violation of transgender and gender non-conforming people’s human and civil rights. This proposed policy marks just the latest in series of actions by the Trump administration that more than two-thirds of LGBTQ Americans see as directly harming transgender people.
By defining gender as biological sex at birth, as the memo proposes, trans and GNC people would be denied their true identities in the classroom, locker room, playing field and beyond. The further human rights violations and mental health implications this would bring about are devastating to imagine.
From wrestler Mack Beggs to rugby player Shawn Gatewood and Australian football player Hannah Mouncey, we have seen firsthand the power of trans athletes being able to play the sports they love as they are, and the need for policies to be responsive to the lived experiences of athletes. We call upon the global athletic community to join us in standing against this harmful and discriminatory policy. Trans rights are human rights, and everyone deserves to be safe and respected.