Trump Rescinds Protections for Trans Students

From Cosmopolitan

On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump and his administration rescinded Obama-era federal protections for transgender students, which previously allowed them to use school bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.

In a joint letter from the Justice Department and the Department of Education, top officials argued that the protections needed to be further vetted for potential "legal issues," adding that "there must be due regard for the primary role of the States and local school districts in establishing school policy." Without the Obama administration's directive, states and school districts will now be responsible for interpreting federal anti-discrimination laws, and deciding whether or not to allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identities.

As The New York Times reports, debate over whether to roll back these protections sparked a stand-off within the Trump administration, with Attorney General Jeff Sessions arguing in favor of rolling back all "civil rights expansions" put in place by the Obama administration, and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos voicing concern that doing so might cause harm to transgender students. Unable to convince her to sign off on his plans so they could move forward, Sessions eventually went to Trump, who sided with him and convinced DeVos to concede - despite her objections.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer later denied these reports, staying DeVos was "100 percent" on board with the decision, and that any disagreements were the result of wording and timing.

"This is an issue best solved at the state and local level," DeVos said after the decision was announced. "Schools, communities and families can find - and in many cases have found - solutions that protect all students."

While the original guidance itself carried no force of law, transgender rights groups argue it was a necessity in helping to protect trans students from discrimination in schools - and many trans advocates were quick to voice their opposition to the decision. Before long, hundreds gathered outside the White House in protest, and #ProtectTransKids became one of the top trending topics on Twitter.

“The consequences of this decision will no doubt be heartbreaking,” Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin told the New York Times. “This isn’t a states’ rights issue, it’s a civil rights issue.”

Additional reporting from The Associated Press.

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