BY: JOSEPH DEBELL / OPINION EDITOR
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Hunter Schafer’s recent passport debacle is a preview of the systematic erosion of trans rights under Donald Trump’s administration.
Schafer is a transgender actor who debuted in the television show “Euphoria.”
In her video, Schafer explained how her new passport incorrectly lists her as male. Schafer explains the reality for trans-Americans — the government is working to erase their identities.
On day one of his presidency, Trump declared that the United States government would only recognize two genders — male and female, assigned at birth.
This executive order is not only cruel, it’s chaotic and unproductive. Gender — regardless of conservative rhetoric — remains a social construct, expressed through clothing, behavior and self-presentation.
The government’s refusal to acknowledge this leads to illogical policies.
If trans identities are legally erased, people will inevitably be forced into situations where their legal documents contradict their reality.
If the U.S. government refuses to recognize trans identities on official documents, what’s stopping it from further restricting trans people’s access to healthcare or employment? The rollback of rights starts with technicalities — but history shows it never stops there.
A common example of people advocating for anti-trans policies — women’s sports.
When people advocate for anti-trans policies in sports, they claim they are doing so in the name of “fairness in sports.” But the truth is, they don’t care about fairness in women’s sports. They simply don’t understand trans people and don’t want them to exist. Policies like these serve as a socially acceptable way to discriminate against trans individuals, using rhetoric about “competition” as a smokescreen for bigotry.
Some people might genuinely believe that this conversation is about fairness. But the reality is that it began as a way to push trans people out of public life. The same logic applies to Schafer’s passport situation.
Those who support Trump’s executive order argue that recognizing only two genders is a matter of simplicity. Yet, they then turn around and claim that a trans man should have “female” on his passport and a trans woman should have “male.” This contradiction exposes the true intent behind these policies — to create unnecessary obstacles for trans people.
If this can happen to someone like Schafer, imagine the impact on a trans person without her finances. What about those who lack supportive families or access to health care?
This entire situation is unnecessarily complicated. There is no practical reason for the government to misgender someone on official documents.
When making policy decisions, the good should outweigh the bad. That is the principle of legislation — restrictions should exist only when they serve the greater good. But Trump’s anti-trans policies serve no greater good. Their purpose is to make life harder for trans people.
Changing Schafer’s passport could also lead to travel problems. Border officials may question her identity due to the gender marker mismatch. It also signals to the public that trans people are not valid and — in some cases — a mental illness.
Being trans is not a mental illness, but transphobia is.
Transphobia stems from an inability to distinguish between biological sex and gender. This leads to paranoia like transvestigation — where people obsessively attempt to prove that celebrities are secretly trans.
But if I had to find a purpose in this Trump policy — it’s that it’s a distraction.
Every time his administration enacts another policy targeting trans people, it’s energy that could have been spent fixing healthcare or improving infrastructure. But those issues require actual governance — whereas attacking trans people is an easy way to rally his base without actually governing.
It’s also important to remember that trans people do not exist in a vacuum. They face the same economic struggles as everyone else. They pay rent, worry about grocery prices and work alongside you. Yet, instead of working to improve the lives of all Americans, Trump is choosing to weaponize identity.
debelljb22@bonaventure.edu
