New 'sex-based definitions' from the federal government set strict two-gender policy
Published 19 Feb 2025
he federal government released new guidelines regarding "sex-based definitions," Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Wednesday.
“This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,” Kennedy said in a statement.
The memo defines terms such as sex − "a person's immutable biological classification as either male or female" − and female versus male.
Kennedy's announcement comes a week after he was confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, over objections from Democrats and medical professionals who criticized Kennedy's history of vaccine skepticism.
It also comes in response to an Inauguration Day executive order by President Donald Trump declaring that the federal government would recognize only two sexes. The order tasked HHS with delivering guidance for enforcement.
The department also unveiled a new web page titled "Protecting Women and Children," with a banner video by college swimmer and influencer Riley Gaines, known for her advocacy around keeping transgender athletes out of women's sports.
"The clarity and decisiveness of this administration sends a strong, clear message to women and girls across the country that we matter," Gaines says in the video.
Trump has sought to overturn Biden era policy on a mix of gender-related issues, including reinstituting a ban on transgender persons serving in the military.