As reported by The New York Times, the Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth, the most drastic move yet in a government-wide effort to roll back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law.

STATEMENT FROM EQUALITY TEXAS TRANSGENDER PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, LOU WEAVER:

It’s appalling that the very people charged with enforcing our nation’s civil rights laws would take extraordinary steps to exclude transgender Americans from civil rights protections—especially since transgender people experience discrimination at much higher rates than other Americans. Transgender Texans are understandably worried that the Trump Administration wants to write them out of existence by executive fiat.  But administration memos cannot reverse the tide of federal court decisions recognizing that discrimination against someone because of gender identity or gender expression is sex discrimination under Title IX and other civil rights laws.

STATEMENT FROM EQUALITY TEXAS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CHUCK SMITH:

Equality Texas will not stop fighting until everyone has the right to earn a living, access healthcare, and get an education without fear of discrimination because of who they are or whom they love. Let’s show this administration that we’re not backing down. Help us send a message by coming Out for Equality this Saturday, October 27 to vote for pro-equality candidates up and down the ticket and to mobilize equality voters to get to the polls. With so much at stake, we owe it to each other—and to those being targeted—to make this election count!