In a stark policy reversal, the US Department of Health and Human Services released new definitions for basic terms like “sex,” “man,” and “woman.” The newest directive, one of the first moves by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., closely tracks a Trump-era executive order intended to “restore biological truth” to federal policy.
The new direction establishes sex as an unchangeable biological category, taking away the wider, more encompassing definitions previously adopted by agencies such as the CDC.
The change has been criticized for weakening scientific study and ignoring lived experiences among transgender, nonbinary, and intersex populations. Legal professionals and healthcare activists fear that limiting these definitions will have far-reaching effects.
They say that this change not only suppresses inclusive research but also influences medical practitioners’ interactions with patients, and gaps in medical care for marginalized groups could be the result.
The advocates of the new policy say that it is an inevitable move towards getting back to a “biological” concept of sex.
Opponents see it as a politicized attempt to erase gender variety and spread confusion. Activists and civil rights groups are bracing themselves for court challenges, saying the definitions are both discriminatory and not scientific.
As arguments rage throughout the country, people are left questioning how these shifts will redefine public health policy and affect the everyday lives of millions, rekindling a heated debate about identity, science, and the government’s role in determining personal truths.