The Center's CEO, Debra Pollock (right), poses with Transgender Program Manager, Sable Schultz (left), and the 2017 Transgender Program's Volunteer of the Year, Quinn Nelson (center).

The Center Opposes Trump Administration’s Attempt to Roll Back Civil Rights Protections for Transgender Americans

As reported in the New York Times on Sunday, the Trump administration is planning its “most drastic move yet in a governmentwide effort to roll back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law.” The Department of Health and Human Services is attempting to establish a narrow definition of gender under Title IX, the law that bans discrimination in federal programs such as education. Under the new definition, gender identity would be defined as “a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth.” This drastic move would eliminate civil rights protections for nearly two million transgender, non-binary, and intersex Americans.

“The Center opposes this cruel, extreme, and transparent political attack by the Trump administration to take away established civil rights protections for transgender citizens,” said Center CEO Debra Pollock. “This policy will make it easier to fire or harass anyone who is perceived as not conforming to rigid gender stereotypes.  Transgender people will face massive barriers when doing even basic things required to participate in society, such as starting a job, accessing healthcare, or travelling with a passport. Dozens of courts, as well as the American Medical Association, have affirmed the full rights and identities of transgender people. We stand with a broad coalition of civil and human rights organizations in opposition to this heartless policy.”

What can you do?
  • Speak up! Contact your congressional representatives and let them know you oppose this move and support full civil rights for transgender Americans. Speak out on social media using the hashtag #WONTBEERASED
  • Sign up! The Transgender Law Center and the National Center for Transgender Equality are creating a campaign to oppose this measure. Learn more.
  • Watch out! There will be a public comment period on these proposed rules when they are formally published. We will have 60 days to make our voices heard. Agencies are required by law to read, analyze and respond to all comments. The record created by a massive outcry in public comments, and an agency’s failure to adequately take them into account, will inform courts that will rule on legal challenges to the regulations. The Center will keep you informed when the public comment period opens.
  • Vote! Colorado ballots have been mailed. We urge you to complete your ballot and return it today. Need to find your polling place? Check here. Check out ONE Colorado’s Transgender Voting Guide. Vote like your life depends on it—because it does!
Resources for Changing Name and/or Updating Gender Marker

If you live in the state of Colorado and are looking to change your legal name and/or update your gender marker on forms of identification, check out the Colorado Name Change Project for excellent resources and step-by-step guides. If you were born outside of Colorado, the National Center for Transgender Equality's ID Document Center is an online, one-stop hub for information about how to change your legal name or update your gender marker across the nation.