President Donald Trump has issued an executive order rolling back policies aimed at supporting transgender rights and gender-identity protections, as well as addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The order, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” mandates that all federal government agencies remove “radical gender ideology” from their guidance and policies. Trump’s directive also establishes that the U.S. government will officially recognize only two genders, male and female, and that passports, visas, and other official documents will reflect this binary classification. Additionally, the order prohibits federal agencies from promoting gender transition or funding gender transition services for prisoners.

The president’s action effectively undoes two measures introduced by the Biden administration on its first day, which aimed to advance racial equity and safeguard transgender rights. Trump's new order declares that it is government policy that biological sex is immutable and that agencies should cease any efforts that suggest otherwise. The administration will also conduct a review of diversity-related programs, including environmental justice grants and diversity training, with the aim of eliminating those deemed discriminatory.

The timing of these actions coincided with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a holiday commemorating the civil rights leader’s legacy. Civil and human rights groups quickly voiced their opposition, pledging to protect marginalized communities and challenge Trump's executive orders in court. The Human Rights Campaign, a major LGBTQ+ rights organization, condemned the orders as harmful, vowing to fight against them with all available resources. Other advocacy groups, such as Asian Americans Advancing Justice, also expressed concern, emphasizing that the rollback of DEI and transgender rights policies would undermine years of progress toward equality and further entrench systemic discrimination.

While some businesses, including Costco and Apple, have stood firm in their support for DEI programs, others have begun to scale back their diversity efforts in response to changing political dynamics. The future of DEI and transgender rights protections remains uncertain, as civil rights organizations prepare for what they anticipate will be a protracted battle against the new policies.