In Video: Transgender advocate: 'I don't know if Trump has ever had a coffee with someone like me'

President Trump’s Executive Order on Gender Identification: A Blow to the Transgender Community

In his first hours as President, Donald Trump issued an executive order that has far-reaching implications for the transgender community. The order requires the US government to recognize only two sexes, male and female, and has disastrous consequences for those who do not identify with these categories.

One of the most immediate effects of this order is the suspension of issuing passports with “X” gender markers, which are preferred by many non-binary individuals. The State Department has also stopped processing applications for individuals seeking to change the gender on their passport to reflect their gender identity.

According to Ashton Colby, a transgender advocate who appears on this show frequently, “This order went into effect immediately for all applications that were currently in progress. It’s a complete dehumanization of transgender people, and there are many families, especially young transgender kids who are about to start gender-affirming care or in the middle of it, and they’re not able to get the documents they need to continue that care.”

The Real-Life Impacts: A Passport Crisis

Many transgender individuals are struggling to cope with the sudden change. One transgender man shared his experience with us, saying, “I can’t get a passport that says male on it. I have to get a passport that says female on it. It’s completely inappropriate for me to have a female passport. It’s not a reflection of who I am.”

Colby empathized with the struggles of these individuals, saying, “It’s a complete dehumanization of transgender people. There is a history of transgender people getting detained, getting strip searched, getting harassed. The dignity and privacy goes out the window when you’re a transgender person and you hand someone a document that doesn’t match who you are.”

The Fear of Travel and Safety Concerns

For those who are non-binary or transgender, having a passport that does not match their gender identity can be a significant safety concern, especially when traveling abroad. One individual shared his experience, saying, “I’m holding mismatched documents – my Ohio state driver’s license says male on it, my old passport says female on it, and it looks like a young woman. I’m not anymore. It’s very inappropriate for me to use the women’s restroom, the same reason I need to have a male passport is the same reason it’s inappropriate for me to use the female restroom at this point in my transition.”

A Call for Change: What Needs to Happen Now

As the situation continues to unfold, many are calling for a change. Colby emphasized the importance of empathy and understanding, saying, “I would love to see the President and his advisors sit down with actual transgender people over a cup of coffee, across the table, looking at each other, shaking each other’s hands, and actually seeing the humanity of what it means to be transgender. If you take a moment to actually meet a transgender person, actually hear about their life story, you start to realize that I had to go through a lot to get to this place where I am, and I’m so happy that I am here. But to just try to legislate me out of existence, I don’t know if Donald Trump has ever had a cup of coffee with a transgender man like me before.”

A Path Forward: The Supreme Court and Legal Recognition

For many, the hope lies in the Supreme Court, which has ruled in favor of transgender rights in the past. Colby expressed faith in the Court, saying, “I still have faith in the Supreme Court. I trust in my gut that there is a sense of respect and realizing that transgender Americans – Americans who just happen to be transgender – deserve dignity and respect. It’s something that should be recognized legally.”