Statement on the Executive Order Signed by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025

January 23 ,2025

T net

日本語の声明はこちら

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a new executive order altering the federal government’s policy on gender recognition. T-Net views this order as a dangerous measure that gravely threatens the human rights and lives of transgender individuals. Furthermore, we are deeply concerned about the serious repercussions this executive order could have not only on transgender people living in the United States but also on the LGBTQ+ community as a whole and the international society, including Japan.

This executive order mandates that gender registration on federal-issued passports, visas, and personnel records for federal employees must align with an individual’s “biological sex.” According to the order, “sex” is defined based on whether an individual produces sperm or eggs at the moment of conception (Note 1¹).

By enforcing this definition in gender registration, the privacy of transgender individuals who have already transitioned in their social lives will be violated. These individuals will be forced from a state in which their gender identity aligns with their official documents to one where inconsistency exposes them to discrimination and unnecessary complications in employment and travel.

Additionally, the executive order will cause disruptions in the use of gendered facilities such as restrooms. For instance, transgender men who have long lived as men and have established social relationships as men would be required to use women’s restrooms when accessing federal facilities and, in cases of incarceration, would be placed in women’s prisons. Transgender women will face similar contradictions and adversities.

Confusion and harm can be mitigated by implementing policies that consider the individual circumstances of each person and their relationships with those around them. However, enforcing regulations based on sperm or egg production not only generates unnecessary confusion in practical settings but also increases the risk of violence, thereby compromising safety.

For years, the Republican Party and its supporters have sought to curtail women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. This executive order is part of a broader ideological push to enforce rigid gender norms rather than a genuine attempt to “protect women” (Note 2²). The true intent appears to be the deliberate incitement of societal discord, making it more difficult for transgender individuals to live their daily lives and ultimately marginalizing them from public life, all to appeal to a radical base.

Of particular concern is the impact this executive order will have on transgender children and young people in educational settings. The order demands the reversal of numerous policies that have safeguarded LGBTQ+ students, including transgender and homosexual youth, within schools. Schools are already environments where LGBTQ+ students frequently face bullying, harassment, and systemic discrimination, making them unsafe for many. Stripping these students of protections will only further limit their future opportunities by depriving them of a safe learning environment.

We determinately reject the strategy of scapegoating transgender individuals—who remain underrepresented and often misunderstood—to provoke public hostility for political gain. sWe are especially alarmed that the radical stance taken by the U.S. President could embolden discriminatory and socially divisive rhetoric in Japan and accelerate the polarization of society.

Furthermore, we strongly protest against political leaders—who should be uniting society—actively fostering discrimination and exclusion based on birthplace, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other attributes and experiences.

End of Statement

1. The definition of sex as based on “conception” rather than “birth” is an unusual choice and has been interpreted by some as aligning with views that recognize fertilized eggs as human beings, a stance that could be used to justify restrictions on abortion rights. ↩︎
2. The executive order claims to “protect women” by enforcing facility use based on sex as defined by the order. However, forcing transgender individuals to use facilities that do not align with their lived gender will increase confusion and disorder. Even cisgender individuals who exhibit gender-nonconforming appearances may face scrutiny, suspicion, and violence. Moreover, under the executive order’s definition, transgender men are classified as “women,” yet it is evident they are not included in the order’s purported protective measures. Finally, defining women based on reproductive capability rather than social vulnerabilities reinforces regressive views that reduce women to their reproductive functions, posing a significant setback to gender equality. ↩︎

T net is a transgender advocacy organization based in Japan

Mail： transgender.network.jp@gmail.com
Web: https://tnet-japan.com/