Trump Administration Orders Overhaul of Federal Diversity Programs and Gender Policies

The Trump administration has initiated sweeping changes to federal policies concerning diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and gender recognition. These measures include the closure of DEI offices, placing affected staff on leave, and the rollback of policies that recognized non-binary gender identities on official documents. Here’s a detailed look at the steps outlined in the administration’s recent directives.

• Federal DEI Offices Closure: The Trump administration ordered the closure of all federal DEI offices, with affected employees placed on administrative leave and reduction-in-force plans underway. Agencies are instructed to dismantle all DEI-related materials and report non-compliance.
• Two-Sex Policy Implementation: An executive order mandates the recognition of only male and female sexes on federal documents, replacing “gender” with “sex” and eliminating non-binary options like the “X” marker.
• Funding Restrictions: Federal grants and contracts will be reviewed to ensure they do not support programs promoting “gender ideology” as defined by the administration.
• Policy Rollbacks: Initiatives introduced under the Biden administration to address systemic bias and recognize diverse gender identities are being overturned, prompting criticism from civil rights groups.

The rollback of DEI initiatives and gender policies marks a significant shift in federal governance, aligning with previous conservative-led movements to challenge “woke” policies. Critics argue these actions could lead to legal challenges, particularly concerning Title VII and Title IX protections, which have been interpreted to cover gender identity and sexual orientation in recent years. This could create friction between federal and state-level policies.

Federal DEI Offices to Be Closed

In a memo issued Tuesday by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), federal agencies were directed to shut down all DEI offices by 5 p.m. the following day. Employees within these offices were placed on paid administrative leave as agencies prepared plans for a reduction-in-force to eliminate these positions.

Agencies were instructed to take down DEI-related webpages, social media accounts, and training materials, and to terminate contracts supporting DEI initiatives. Additionally, staff were asked to report instances where DEI programs might have been renamed to avoid detection. Failure to comply with this request could result in “adverse consequences.”

These actions align with an executive order signed by President Trump that mandates dismantling diversity programs throughout the federal government. The directive reverses initiatives established under previous administrations, particularly programs aimed at addressing systemic bias and promoting equitable access to federal resources.

Gender Policies Revised to Recognize Two Sexes

In a related move, President Trump signed an executive order affirming that the federal government will recognize only two sexes: male and female. This policy applies across all agencies and federal documentation, including passports, visas, and identification cards like Global Entry.

The administration’s order requires government records and communications to replace the term “gender” with “sex,” defining it as an “immutable biological classification.” Agencies managing sensitive spaces, such as shelters and prisons, must ensure the preservation of single-sex facilities.

The policy also affects federal funding, directing agencies to review grants and contracts to ensure they do not promote what the order describes as “gender ideology.” This decision overturns Biden-era rules that allowed individuals to select “X” as their gender marker on passports and update their Social Security records without medical documentation.

Impact of Policy Reversals

The Biden administration had expanded recognition of diverse gender identities, enabling citizens to update official documents without gender-specific constraints. The new executive order halts these efforts, emphasizing traditional definitions of sex and reversing policies designed to accommodate non-binary and transgender individuals.

While the Trump administration argues that the changes reflect “biological truth” and prevent the promotion of “ideological extremism,” critics contend that the measures disregard the complexities of gender identity and could marginalize affected communities.