In a move that is a blatant assault on science, civil rights, and the dignity of intersex Americans, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring that there are only two sexes.
This simplistic view is more comfortable than the complexity of reality for many people, but it’s completely wrong.
The order is a thinly veiled attempt to legalize the persecution of intersex and gender-diverse individuals, intended to appease the puritanical religious zealots who form the backbone of his neo-Nazi Christian nationalist ideology.
The executive order, which flies in the face of both scientific evidence and constitutional principles, seeks to erase the existence of intersex people—those born with biological traits that do not fit typical definitions of male or female.
By doing so, Trump is attempting to codify discrimination into law, stripping away the rights of a vulnerable minority in order to cater to the extremist views of his base.
A War on Science
Trump’s order is not only morally reprehensible but also scientifically illiterate.
The notion that there are only two sexes is a gross oversimplification of the complex and diverse reality of biological fact. Hermaphroditic means having both male and female reproductive organs, which can occur in animals and plants.
Across the animal kingdom, numerous species exhibit more than two sexes, challenging the binary view that Trump and his supporters are so desperate to enforce.
- Protozoa: The single-celled organism Tetrahymena thermophila has seven sexes, or mating types, each capable of mating with any other except its own.
- Birds: The white-throated sparrow has four sexes—tan-headed males, tan-headed females, white-headed males, and white-headed females—with each group able to reproduce with only a quarter of the population.
- Worms: The Auanema species of nematode has three sexes: male, female, and hermaphroditic.
- Fungi: The mushroom Schizophyllum commune boasts more than 23,000 different sexual identities, making a mockery of the simplistic binary model.
- Other Animals: Clam shrimp have males and two varieties of hermaphrodites, while harvester ants have a hybrid system requiring queens to mate with both types of males to produce offspring.
These examples underscore the fact that biological sex is not a rigid binary but a spectrum defined by the proportion of the population an individual can reproduce with.
Those who subscribe to Christian mythology are in denial about the rise and fall of six successive dominant life forms, instead believing that dinosaurs once coexisted with humans. From geological fossil evidence to genetics biology, we know that five major mass extinction events occurred on Earth.
Humanity’s role in the ongoing sixth mass extinction demands a readjustment of our impact on the planet to ameliorate the ongoing ecological catastrophe.
Trump’s ridiculous executive order ignores this reality, instead promoting a regressive and anti-scientific worldview that seeks to impose outdated religious dogma on a diverse and evolving society.
A Violation of Civil Rights
Beyond its scientific inaccuracies, Trump’s order represents a direct attack on the constitutional rights of Americans.
The right to privacy, the pursuit of happiness, and the freedom to live authentically are fundamental principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
By denying the existence of intersex and gender-diverse individuals, Trump is effectively denying them these rights, relegating them to second-class citizenship.
While anyone might be uncomfortable with the situation of another, our embrace of freedom comes with the obligation to mind our own business.
The insidious Trump order sets a dangerous precedent for the persecution of anyone who does not conform to rigid, binary notions of sex and gender.
It is a chilling reminder of the lengths to which Trump and his supporters are willing to go to enforce their narrow, authoritarian vision of society.
The American Taliban Strikes Again
Critics have identified Trump’s executive order as a political appeal to the so-called “American Taliban”—a coalition of far-right religious extremists who seek to impose their puritanical beliefs on the entire country.
These neo-Nazi extremists, who have long sought to control the bodies and lives of others, are using Trump ~ an ajudicated rapist and serial philanderer ~ to advance their agenda.
The parallels to authoritarian regimes are impossible to ignore. Just as the Taliban in Afghanistan enforces strict gender roles and punishes those who deviate from them, Trump’s order seeks to impose a similarly oppressive system in the United States.
It is a stark reminder that the fight for civil rights and equality is far from over.
A Call to Action
The backlash against Trump’s executive order has not been fierce.
Scientists, civil rights advocates, and LGBTQ+ organizations have condemned the move as an affront to both reason and justice, but the general public lacks any appetite to fight the order in the courts and in the streets.
As the nation grapples with this assault on freedom and equality, one thing is clear: the fight for the rights of intersex and gender-diverse Americans is a fight for the soul of the country. Too many people don’t know or care about that because they are consumed with their own challenges.
Trump’s executive order is a dark chapter in American history, but may also be a rallying cry for all those who believe in a more inclusive, just, and scientifically informed future.
The American people should stand together against this blatant attempt to legalize discrimination and erase the existence of marginalized communities.
The truth is that too many people are mired in difficult economic situations, and the American Taliban might very well succeed in dragging the country back to the dark ages.
That’s not going to protect manufacturing, restore lost jobs, improve the quality of life, or reduce the cost of eggs.
Discover more from NJTODAY.NET
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.