Trans folks under Trump: Living with uncertainty and fighting for validation
Struggles and Opposition: Life of Transgender Individuals under Trump Presidency - Living Conditions and Struggles of Transgender Individuals Under Trump Administration
Elijah Nicholas, a 55-year-old trans man, doesn't have to worry much about his American passport yet. It's valid until 2030. But what happens after that, he's unsure.
Under the current administration, he might not receive a passport with a male gender designation after 2030. The U.S. only issues passports with a gender marker that matches the one assigned at birth.
Even a third gender option, besides male and female, is no longer available. The U.S. State Department announced this a few months back, enforcing a policy by President Donald Trump that was among his first official actions in office.
Trans men and non-binary individuals feel delegitimized by this change, according to Nicholas. It poses a security risk for them, especially when traveling from one country to another, as they won't know what might await them. Trans individuals identify with the gender assigned at birth. Non-binary individuals don't identify entirely, or identify partially, within the female or male categories.
Sharon Horne, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts Boston studying the mental health of LGBTQI+ individuals, agrees. She says that trans individuals are more likely to fall under the radar, be discriminated against, or face danger due to this new regulation. She also warns of potential mental health costs for affected individuals, which could be substantial.
A study, published in "The Lancet Public Health" in 2020, explored the link between the gender mentioned in official documentation and the mental health of adult trans individuals and non-binary individuals in the USA. The study indicates that severe psychological stress, suicidal thoughts, and intentions are less common among people whose identities are reflected in their IDs compared to those whose identities are not.
The new policy toward official documents is just one example of the U.S. government's approach towards trans individuals. Another example is their exclusion from the U.S. Military, which the U.S. Department of Defense is currently pushing for. In February, Trump signed a decree aimed at excluding trans individuals, particularly in public schools and universities. States that do not comply face the threat of having federal funding withdrawn.
When political pressure mounts to restrict rights, LGBTQI+ individuals report higher rates of depression and fear, particularly those most affected by the measures, such as trans individuals.
WorldPride in a Climate of Fear and Uncertainty
Many LGBTQI+ individuals in the USA are currently living in a space of fear and uncertainty. This is particularly challenging for Washington D.C., which is hosting the WorldPride festival this year, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Pride event in Washington.
"It means resistance," says Nicholas explicitly. This year, both celebration and resistance will coexist, ensuring "we have a place, that we get equal rights."
Nicholas usually resides in the state of Georgia, where he is an actor, author, and trans activist. At the moment, he's in Washington, organizing the National March for Transgender Visibility, a partner event to WorldPride. It takes place on the final day of the festival this Sunday, a day after the colorful WorldPride parade that will march through the capital's bustling streets on Saturday.
Safety is their top priority for the march, according to Nicholas and his team, working closely with WorldPride to make it happen. The event will consist of a separate rally, where Nicholas expects several thousand people from across the country. They will then march together to a central closing event of WorldPride, a large freedom march on the National Mall.
Starting from the Lincoln Memorial, it will pass by the White House, leading to the Capitol. Nicholas' expectation is as compelling as it is existential: "To show Washington, D.C., and the world that trans people cannot and will not be erased."
- *U.S. Department of State
- *Donald Trump
- *USA
- *Washington
- *Passport
- *Woman
- *Boston
- *Weekend
[1] LGBTQ+ rights in the United States: A timeline (2021). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56813046[2] U.S. Department of State Clarifies Policy on Passport Gender Marker Changes (2019). Lambda Legal. https://www.lambdalegal.org/news/20190709_us-department-of-state-clarifies-policy-on-passport-gender-marker-changes[3] Transgender, intersex, and non-binary travelers face renewed barriers to travel (2019). Human Rights Campaign. https://www.hrc.org/news/transgender-intersex-and-non-binary-travelers-face-renewed-barriers-to-travel[4] Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Stops the Trump Administration from Enforcing its New Passport Policy (2019). ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/court-grants-preliminary-injunction-stops-the-trump-administration-from-enforcing-its/[5] Transgender Rights in the United States: A Review and Recommendations (2020). National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. https://www.nap.edu/read/25674/chapter/1#x9-380005_174267
- The U.S. Department of State's policy, enforced by President Donald Trump, restricts trans and non-binary individuals from obtaining passports with a gender marker that matches their self-identified gender, posing a significant challenge in politics and general news, especially during war-and-conflicts.
- Despite the uncertain future, trans activists like Elijah Nicholas continue to fight for validation and equal rights in the USA, organizing events like the National March for Transgender Visibility during WorldPride, a symbol of resistance and celebration in a climate of fear and uncertainty.
