During a recent appearance on "Democracy Now!", ACLU lawyer and transgender activist Chase Strangio criticized President Trump's executive order on sex and gender, using the phrase "non-transgender women" to refer to biological women. Strangio argued that the executive order, which reaffirms the binary definition of sex as male and female, is an attack on transgender individuals.
The executive order, titled "Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government," outlines policies recognizing two sexes and directs agencies to implement them accordingly. One provision focuses on protecting single-sex spaces like shelters for women who have experienced sexual assault, a point Strangio contested, claiming it unfairly excludes transgender individuals and reinforces harmful stereotypes. Strangio expressed concern that this policy portrays transgender people as inherent threats to cisgender women, increasing the risks they face in society.
Strangio's use of the term "non-transgender women" sparked considerable debate online. Conservative voices on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) criticized the phrasing, with some accusing Strangio of fear-mongering and misrepresenting the executive order's intent. Several commentators pointed out the simplicity and accuracy of the term "women" and questioned the need for the more complex phrasing. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), an advocate for single-sex spaces, affirmed that "women" is the appropriate term, while former NCAA swimmer and women's rights activist Riley Gaines also expressed her disagreement with Strangio's terminology.
