The Metro: What’s behind Trump’s assault on transgender Americans?
The Trump administration aims to chip away at the rights of transgender people in America. Advocates say these attacks threaten the rights of other vulnerable groups.
Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa.
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Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders to dismantle transgender rights.
These moves are not surprising. Trump used ugly rhetoric on the campaign trail to target this small minority of people.
Transgender young people and adults account for less than 2% of the U.S. population. But advocates warn that attacking trans rights opens the door to rolling back other Americans’ rights.
A transgender person is someone whose sex assigned at birth is different from who they know they are on the inside, the Human Rights Campaign explains. That could include someone who’s medically transitioned, so their physical appearance aligns with their understanding of their gender. It also includes people who have not transitioned or who do not solely identify as male or female.
Still, sowing confusion about transgender people and dehumanizing them has been central to Trump’s political strategy.
Staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan Jay Kaplan joined The Metro to discuss why Trump is targeting this small minority of Americans, why attacks on transgender rights are relevant to everyone, and what the landscape in Michigan is like for LGBTQ people. Kaplan leads the LGBTQ Project at the Michigan ACLU.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Hear more stories from The Metro on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
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