One of Donald Trump’s most headline-making executive actions on day one of his presidency was the “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” It stipulates the United States will recognize two sexes, male and female, and the term ‘sex’ will refer to “an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female.” It is “not a synonym for and does not include the concept of ‘gender identity.’”
It was a thing of beauty, but it did not touch on the most pernicious element of radical gender ideology, so-called ‘gender affirming care’ for minors. That changed on Tuesday with the latest executive action from the White House.
What It Says
The “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” order ends federal support for ‘trans’ surgeries and the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in those under 19 years old. It is another thing of beauty and reads, in part:
“Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions. This dangerous trend will be a stain on our Nation’s history, and it must end…
Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.”
Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.”
It calls for a reversal to the absolutely disgusting reliance on and acceptance of guidance from the group WPATH. The ‘path’ should stand for ‘pathology’ given the way this group tries to run the ‘trans’ medical community.
It calls for the defunding of agencies that provide grants to medical schools and hospitals that are providing these treatments. So, it is a threat of federal funding to your institution if you provide these procedures on minors.
It calls for the secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure treatments are not covered by federally funded programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. It also calls to exclude coverage for “chemical and surgical mutilation” from other related programs.
It goes on to say the Department of Justice shall “convene states’ attorneys general and other law enforcement officers to coordinate the enforcement of laws against female genital mutilation across all American states and territories.”
And that is just scratching the surface on what this orders. It is a thing of beauty, and it will literally save lives.
What Comes Next
I am going to study the order more closely in the days to come and talk with some of my lawyer friends about it because Trump cannot undo the state laws that allow this stuff by executive order. He can, however, withhold federal money from the institutions (universities, lower schools, hospitals, etc.) that perform or promote these procedures, and that is huge because the almighty dollar is what these places actually care about. If Trump says we are not going to pay Medicare funds or Medicaid funds to an institution doing this to children, everyone will stop.
Needless to say, there will be tons of legal challenges over all of this. Can it be done? Can something that has already been authorized in terms of funding, by Congress, be revoked by executive order? All of that must be fleshed out.
To me, what is important is the statement and the intention that we are not screwing around anymore. This is a scourge that will be looked back on as an infamous, horrific dereliction of morality for decades to come, and President Trump said it stops now.
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to episode 994 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.