In Inaugural Address, Trump Takes Direct Aim At Trans Americans, Racial Justice
New president takes swift action against certain populations of Americans
Donald Trump swept into office for his second term, making it clear that he intends to dismantle efforts at racial justice as well as attempt to erase transgender Americans in public life.
Trump was sworn into office Monday indoors due to the bitter cold hanging over the Washington DC region, for a second, four-year term.
The themes of his inaugural address were expected and reflect the xenophobic rhetoric he long has espoused.
He signed a number of new executive orders aimed at taking action on his rhetoric, as well.
“This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life,” Trump said, parroting well-worn right-wing talking points. “We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.
“As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female,” he added.
With one executive order, Trump mandated the end to any federal efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion for Black Americans and others from marginalized populations.
And another directly targets transgender Americans, who comprise a tiny fraction of the nation.
The executive order is said to ban the legal change of sex and removes legal protections for trans people.
Estimates put the number of transgender Americans at about 1.6 million people, or about less than 1 percent of the population ages 13 and older.
Still, Trump found transgender Americans worthy of rolling back rights for on his first day.
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