Latest news with #DefendingWomenfromGenderIdeologyExtremismandRestoringBiologicalTruth
The Hill
6 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
White House denies reporting by Guardian on VA benefits: ‘totally FALSE story'
The Trump administration on Monday denied reporting by The Guardian that said new Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals could refuse care to veterans based on factors like marital status and political affiliation due to an executive order by President Trump. The Guardian earlier Monday published a report saying VA hospitals are implementing new rules in response to Trump's executive order in January, which would permit workers to deny care to veterans based on characteristics not protected by federal law. On the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order titled 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,' which ordered the federal government to recognize only two biological sexes. According to the documents it obtained, The Guardian reported that 'doctors and other medical staff can also be barred from working at VA hospitals based on their marital status, political party affiliation or union activity.' VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz, a former politics editor at Fox News Digital, reportedly did not deny that veteran patients could be denied care and physicians could be dismissed based on their marital status or political affiliation when reached by The Guardian. But White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly adamantly denied The Guardian's reporting. Writing on the social media platform X, Kelly addressed the article's writer, Aaron Glantz, saying, 'Aaron, this is a totally FALSE story that The Guardian should retract immediately. Fearmongering with our Veterans to try to score clicks for your failing 'news outlet' is pathetic and shameful.' The VA also responded on X, writing, 'This story is disinformation. All eligible Veterans will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they've earned under the law.' The Hill has reached out to The Guardian for comment. According to those who work with veterans benefits, some hospitals have begun updating their bylaws, but the extent of what effect these changes are having is unclear. According to Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the VA has historically been 'very expansive' in its anti-discrimination policies, which have gone beyond federally protected classes. In response to Trump's executive order earlier this year, some bylaws have 'shrunk' so that anti-discrimination policies only encompass federally protected classes like race, religion and sex. She notes, however, that there don't appear to be any rules that mandate discrimination based on unprotected classes. 'There are over 140 different VA medical centers as hospitals that each have their own set of bylaws that exist. So we don't know how many different hospitals this has actually been changed at,' Hunter told The Hill. 'We're trying right now to really gather the information we can, to see how widespread the changes of bylaws might actually be, as well as to engage and understand how it is actually impacting our veterans,' added Hunter. She lamented that VA employees are getting in the crosshairs of this dispute while they seek to provide care to veterans. 'The VA employees that we have talked to and connected with are personally very, very committed to continue to serve all veterans and are concerned that the way in which this is being discussed will continue to destroy morale among VA employees,' Hunter said.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge declines to block parts of Trump gender, DEI executive orders
A federal judge on Friday declined to block the enforcement of key provisions in President Trump's executive orders involving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and gender in a challenge by three civil and human rights organizations. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly denied the advocacy groups' request for a preliminary injunction, which would have prohibited the Trump administration from implementing parts of three executive orders against the challengers. The judge said they failed to establish standing for half of the challenged provisions, and on the other provisions, their constitutional claims 'falter for various reasons.' 'The motion before the Court is not about whether DEI policies, however defined in a given context, are good public policy. Nor is it about whether specific DEI initiatives comply with antidiscrimination law,' Kelly wrote in a 58-page order. 'Instead, it is about whether Plaintiffs have shown that they are entitled to a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the executive orders at issue. 'Because they are not likely to prevail on the merits, the Court will deny the motion,' he said. The three organizations — National Urban League, National Fair Housing Alliance and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago — sued earlier this year, contending that Trump's orders violate their First Amendment rights by censoring their views on DEI, accessibility and transgender rights. They also said the orders limit their ability to provide social and health services, like HIV treatment, fair housing and civil rights protections. Donya Khadem, a lawyer for the groups, said during a hearing in March that the breadth of the orders has made it challenging to know how to comply. She pointed to the president's executive order titled 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.' 'Does that mean they can't say transgender people exist?' she asked, suggesting that 'even minimal loss' of First Amendment freedom amounts to irreparable harm. But Kelly, the judge, pushed back and noted the challenge of creating a 'bright line' rule as to when conditions on government funding become unconstitutional. 'Why isn't the president permitted to have his or her policy priorities?' he asked. Khadem said there are 'constitutional limits' to how a president can implement their policy agenda, calling Trump's perspective that DEI is 'un-American' amounts to viewpoint discrimination. Kelly also questioned Justice Department lawyer Pardis Gheibi over the confusion caused by Trump's orders during the March hearing, where arguments for and against a preliminary injunction were made. 'Plaintiffs can't tell what's covered,' he said. 'What is DEI and what is not?' Gheibi said any questions the organizations have about Trump's orders amount to 'legal advice,' not evidence of the orders' deficiencies. She said the orders don't 'rise or fall' on whether a legal memo explaining their scope was attached. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Judge declines to block parts of Trump gender, DEI executive orders
A federal judge on Friday declined to block the enforcement of key provisions in President Trump's executive orders involving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and gender in a challenge by three civil and human rights organizations. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly denied the advocacy groups' request for a preliminary injunction, which would have prohibited the Trump administration from implementing parts of three executive orders against the challengers. The judge said they failed to establish standing for half of the challenged provisions, and on the other provisions, their constitutional claims 'falter for various reasons.' 'The motion before the Court is not about whether DEI policies, however defined in a given context, are good public policy. Nor is it about whether specific DEI initiatives comply with antidiscrimination law,' Kelly wrote in a 58-page order. 'Instead, it is about whether Plaintiffs have shown that they are entitled to a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the executive orders at issue. 'Because they are not likely to prevail on the merits, the Court will deny the motion,' he said. The three organizations — National Urban League, National Fair Housing Alliance and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago — sued earlier this year, contending that Trump's orders violate their First Amendment rights by censoring their views on DEI, accessibility and transgender rights. They also said the orders limit their ability to provide social and health services, like HIV treatment, fair housing and civil rights protections. Donya Khadem, a lawyer for the groups, said during a hearing in March that the breadth of the orders has made it challenging to know how to comply. She pointed to the president's executive order titled 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.' 'Does that mean they can't say transgender people exist?' she asked, suggesting that 'even minimal loss' of First Amendment freedom amounts to irreparable harm. But Kelly, the judge, pushed back and noted the challenge of creating a 'bright line' rule as to when conditions on government funding become unconstitutional. 'Why isn't the president permitted to have his or her policy priorities?' he asked. Khadem said there are 'constitutional limits' to how a president can implement their policy agenda, calling Trump's perspective that DEI is 'un-American' amounts to viewpoint discrimination. Kelly also questioned DOJ lawyer Pardis Gheibi over the confusion caused by Trump's orders during the March hearing, where arguments for and against a preliminary injunction were made. 'Plaintiffs can't tell what's covered,' he said. 'What is DEI and what is not?' Gheibi said any questions the organizations have about Trump's orders amount to 'legal advice,' not evidence of the orders' deficiencies. She said the orders don't 'rise or fall' on whether a legal memo explaining their scope was attached.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Denmark slaps U.S. with travel advisory for transgender travelers
Denmark has joined a growing list of countries issuing travel advisories to transgender travelers looking to visit the U.S. Donald Trump issued an executive order curtailing the rights of the transgender community in January, which has led the U.S. to cease issuing passports with X gender markers and to not allow gender changes on renewed passports. Keep up with the latest in + news and politics. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Denmark issued the advisory on its page dedicated to Danish citizens traveling to the U.S. The foreign ministry did not advise transgender folks to avoid travel to the U.S. but warned that they should contact U.S. embassy officials if their passport's gender marker does not match their sex assigned at birth. 'When applying for an ESTA or visa to the United States, there are two gender designations to choose from: male or female,' the ministry wrote on its travel website. 'If your passport has the gender designation X or you have changed gender, it is recommended to contact the US embassy prior to travel for guidance on how to proceed.' The ministry is responding to Trump's executive order titled Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, although the order is not referenced in the advisory. It was one of the dozens of orders signed on Trump's first day in office of his second term. While the order primarily bars trans women and girls from competing in women's sports and using changing and restroom facilities that align with their gender identity, it also sets new guidelines for documentation and gender markers. 'The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, shall implement changes to require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder's sex, as defined under section 2 of this order; and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall ensure that applicable personnel records accurately report Federal employees' sex, as defined by section 2 of this order.' With the advisory, Denmark joins a growing list of nations warning transgender citizens about passport issues they may encounter when visiting the U.S. Finland, Germany, and the United Kingdom have issued similar warnings, the Associated Press reports. For its part, the U.S. Department of State last year issued an advisory for U.S. citizens considering travel to Denmark, warning visitors to 'exercise increased caution in the Kingdom of Denmark due to terrorism' on its website.
Fox News
17-03-2025
- Health
- Fox News
VA rescinds 2018 directive on transgender treatments, aligning with Trump 'two sexes' EO
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) quietly rescinded a 2018 policy providing transgender-related medical services to transgender and intersex veterans on Friday, aligning the VA with the Trump administration's orders to part ways with "radical gender ideology" within the U.S. military. The memo states the VA "will conduct a comprehensive review of care with respect to trans-identifying Veterans and will undergo the rulemaking process to revise the medical benefits package as deemed necessary; however, this rescission does not affect existing clinical guidance." The VA maintains that it will not provide "gender-affirming" surgeries in its facilities or through non-VA care, as these procedures are excluded from the medical benefits package already. Additionally, the VA will not cover plastic reconstructive surgery for cosmetic or gender alteration purposes. The department also requires medical necessity for any surgical care provided, and gender alteration surgery remains unauthorized as a medical treatment. The memo says the directive providing transgender treatments – such as hormone therapy, prosthetic devices, and other tools to aid in their presentation of the desired gender – was rescinded because "it is not compliant with the definitions and terms described" in Trump's executive order, "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government." Transgender and intersex veterans will still receive healthcare from the VA "that is compatible with generally accepted standards of medical practice as determined by appropriate health care professionals to promote, preserve, or restore the health of the individual," according to the new guidance. Regarding VA facilities, the memo states the department has "already addressed that all intimate spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms are designated by Sex (M, F) or unisex for single person spaces (e.g., one door, one stall bathroom)," adding that all "signage related to gender identity has been changed." Also in line with Trump's order, the VA will maintain sex-segregated spaces based on biological sex. Under this directive, decisions regarding inpatient and residential room assignments will be made according to clinical guidance. If necessary, veterans may be assigned to private rooms or bathrooms. Trump's executive order, signed in January, mandates that federal agencies adopt the definition of sex as recognizing only male and female. It requires replacing the term "gender" with "sex" in official federal materials, prohibiting funding for sex-change treatments and programs promoting "gender ideology," and prohibiting transgender individuals from using facilities or participating in programs that align with their gender identity. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Trump's executive orders on gender identity, as the administration challenges district court rulings through appeals. The Pentagon has also set deadlines for the end of the month to voluntarily part ways with transgender Marines, sailors, airmen and Guardians as part of Trump's order to discharge all transgender service members. The VA typically provides healthcare, benefits and support to veterans, including medical care, disability benefits and financial assistance. It also helps veterans transition from military to civilian life. An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press last week says the department will be another target of Trump's plan to downsize the federal workforce, with an expected 80,000 job cuts. Fox News Digital has reached out to the VA for comment.
