Kennedy Issues Guidance on Recognizing Only Two Sexes

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Introduces New Guidance on Sex-Based Definitions, Aligning with Trump’s Administration

In a significant move announced on Wednesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued new guidelines concerning sex-based definitions. This initiative is primarily aimed at excluding transgender women and girls from participating in female sports, reinforcing former President Donald Trump’s commitment to federal recognition of only two sexes – male and female.

“Under this administration, we are reinstating common sense and restoring biological truths within the federal government,” Mr. Kennedy stated in a formal announcement. “The previous administration’s attempts to embed gender ideology in every facet of public policy are behind us.” This declaration sets the stage for a new approach to sex and gender issues within federal institutions.

As part of these initiatives, the HHS has unveiled a dedicated web page under the federal Office on Women’s Health, titled “Protecting Women and Children.” This page features a prominent video with Riley Gaines, a former standout swimmer from the University of Kentucky, who expressed her concerns over competitive disadvantages encountered while competing against transgender women. Gaines’s perspective has garnered attention in the ongoing national discourse surrounding transgender participation in sports.

The newly released guidance provides explicit definitions for “male” and “female.” According to the directive, “male” is identified as “a person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing sperm,” while “female” is defined as “a person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs (ova).” These definitions exemplify the administration’s commitment to biological determinism and traditional views on sex and gender.

The announcement of this guidance follows the executive order signed by Trump on January 20, which mandated the HHS to provide “clear guidance” on sex-based definitions within 30 days. The order asserts that these sexes are immutable and firmly rooted in “fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”

In his address to HHS employees the day before the announcement, Mr. Kennedy emphasized the agency’s role in assisting Americans in finding their own paths towards fulfilling lives. He spoke about empowering individuals to make personal choices that foster nourishment, healing, and self-development, signaling a direction that prioritizes individual liberties while aligning with the administration’s broader goals.

The statistical backdrop to this initiative reveals that approximately 1.6 million youths and adults in the United States identify as transgender, as estimated by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Under the previous administration, President Joe Biden prioritized the protection of transgender rights, making this issue a cornerstone of his federal policies. One notable move was the historic confirmation of Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgender woman, as the first individual of her kind to assume a federal position upon Senate confirmation.

In a dramatic shift, Trump has rapidly reversed many of the protections established by the Biden administration. His recent executive order came with a wave of follow-up orders aimed at diminishing the rights and recognition of transgender individuals across various sectors, including education, healthcare, housing, and the military.

Critics of the administration’s approach raise alarms not only concerning the substance of the new policies but also regarding the confrontational language used. For instance, one order that restricts taxpayer funding for medical interventions for transgender youth is titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” Such phrasing has been met with opposition and concern from advocates for transgender rights.

Moreover, various government agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are being directed to eliminate any references to “gender ideology” from their platforms. Following these orders, a judge mandated the restoration of certain CDC webpages that had been removed, illustrating the contentious legal battles surrounding this issue.

Additional features of the guidance include disclaimers on some CDC resources, such as the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. These disclaimers refute the previously accepted definitions relating to gender and assert that the information previously presented is “extremely inaccurate,” highlighting the administration’s staunch stance against information that does not conform to their new guidelines.

In summation, the HHS’s latest guidance under Secretary Kennedy reflects a pronounced pivot in the federal approach to sex and gender, emphasizing traditional definitions while seeking to limit the rights of transgender individuals in various facets of American life. As this controversial policy unfolds, it is expected to spark intense debates across the nation regarding individual rights, inclusivity, and the interpretation of gender.