In a move stirring national debate, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled *“Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”* This directive mandates a strict binary gender classification—“male” and “female”—based solely on biological sex at birth.
**1. Gender Marker “X” Eliminated**
The order rescinds the gender-neutral “X” option on passports, a policy introduced under President Biden. *“Effective immediately, any passport application that requests an ‘X’ gender marker is suspended indefinitely.”*

**2. Federal Documents Go Binary**
All federal agencies must now adopt a binary definition of gender. Documents like birth certificates and driver’s licenses will reflect this. Officials were instructed to ensure *“sex is determined by biology rather than gender as a social construct.”*

**3. Reversing Inclusivity Policies**
The move reverses Biden-era efforts that celebrated the inclusion of non-binary and gender-diverse Americans. Critics argue this erases recognition of LGBTQ+ identities.

**4. Trump’s Defense**
Trump praised the order, blaming opponents for promoting *“gender ideology extremism.”*

**5. Growing Backlash**
Civil rights groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, and legal experts warn the policy could harm gender-diverse communities and provoke legal challenges.