The US Department of Justice just rolled back protection for transgender students
The US Department of Justice has rolled back support for the transgender community as it filed a series of briefing which undermine protections.
A day after Jeff Sessions was confirmed as the attorney general, the DOJ filed a request to halt the order from under the Obama administration that protected transgender students.
The order supported trans rights, especially the notion of being able to use bathrooms and changing rooms that correspond with their gender identity.
The order came about after Judge Reed O’Connor blocked trans-affirming education guidelines from being implemented.
However, in response to this ruling the DOJ submitted a request that the halt in the implementation of the guidance would only apply in the states led by Texas that sought the injunction, rather than nationwide.
Now, Trump’s admission has undone the agreement by announcing that the department would withdraw this request, thus jeopardising trans students across America.
President of the Human Rights Campaign, Chad Griffin, condemned the move as “heartbreaking”.
“After being on the job for less than 48 hours, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has signalled his intent to undermine the equal dignity of transgender students,” Griffin said.
“Transgender students are entitled to the full protection of the United States Constitution and our federal nondiscrimination laws.
“It is heartbreaking and wrong that the agency tasked with enforcing civil rights laws would instead work to subvert them for political interests.
“President Trump must immediately reverse course and direct the DOJ to uphold guidance protecting transgender students,” he added.
Rachel B. Tiven, CEO of Lambda Legal, called Jeff Session’s confirmation “a travesty.”
“The chief lawyer of the United States is now someone who has devoted his whole life to obstructing civil rights,” she said. “I have personally seen him be rude and dismissive toward LGBT families.”
