Latest news with #RestoringBiologicalTruth
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
White House denies Guardian report claiming VA rule changes allow discrimination against veterans
New VA rules do not permit political or marital discrimination, officials say The White House has firmly denied a report published by The Guardian claiming the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented new rules allowing medical staff to deny care to veterans based on marital status, political affiliation, or other non-protected characteristics. The original article, published on June 17, alleged that these changes were introduced following a January executive order by President Donald Trump . The order, titled 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government ,' aimed to restrict federal recognition of gender identities beyond biological sex. The Guardian reported that, as a result, some VA hospitals began removing protections against discrimination based on national origin, politics, and marital status from staff bylaws. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 只是塗萬寧賣到翻的「煙酰胺」就跟斑點分手了 了解更多 Undo Also read: Breaking down the new VA Policy 2025: Key rule changes and what they mean for veterans and families However, both the White House and the VA have categorically rejected these claims. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly stated on X (formerly Twitter), '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 statement directly addressed The Guardian journalist Aaron Glantz. Live Events — AnnaKelly47 (@AnnaKelly47) VA says federal law still protects veteran rights in all medical facilities Responding to the allegations, the Department of Veterans Affairs reiterated its compliance with federal anti-discrimination law. VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz issued a statement, asserting that 'all eligible veterans will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they've earned under the law.' Further denying The Guardian's claims, Macaulay Porter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs at the VA, stated, 'Federal law prohibits that, and VA will always follow federal law.' He addressed specific allegations from the article, calling it false that VA hospitals could refuse treatment to unmarried veterans and Democrats, and false that VA staff could be barred from employment based on political or marital status. Additionally, Porter disputed The Guardian's assertion that veterans might need to register at distant hospitals due to changes in hospital bylaws. 'VA will always follow federal law,' he stated, adding that any such implication was incorrect. Also read: VA spokesperson issues clarification on bombshell report claiming doctors can refuse treatment to Democrats Disputed report cites executive order and alleged VA bylaw changes In its original article, The Guardian claimed the VA removed language from its hospital bylaws that previously prohibited discrimination based on marital status, political affiliation, and other characteristics. The publication said these changes applied to a wide range of medical personnel including doctors, psychologists, social workers, and therapists. Dr. Kenneth Kizer, a former VA healthcare official during the Clinton administration, was quoted expressing concern about potential discrimination. He stated the rules 'seem to open the door to discrimination on the basis of anything that is not legally protected.' Dr. Arthur Caplan of NYU's Grossman School of Medicine described the rules as 'extremely disturbing and unethical,' suggesting the changes risk allowing doctors to act on political biases when delivering care. Despite these concerns, the VA and the White House maintain that all care policies align with federal law, and that eligible veterans remain entitled to treatment regardless of any such factors. Veteran groups acknowledge bylaw revisions, seek clarity on scope Although the VA has denied the existence of discriminatory practices, some veteran advocacy groups have acknowledged changes in local bylaws and are actively investigating their impact. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said, 'We're trying right now to really gather the information we can, to see how widespread the changes of bylaws might actually be.' Also read: New VA policy sparks outrage as doctors may refuse treatment to Democrats and unmarried veterans alike Hunter also noted that the VA has historically maintained broad anti-discrimination protections and that recent executive orders may have led some VA hospitals to revise their bylaws. However, she emphasized that there are no rules mandating discrimination and that VA employees remain committed to serving all veterans. The American Medical Association recently passed a resolution affirming its commitment to medical staff self-governance, urging VA hospitals to follow standards set by the Joint Commission and consult staff before making bylaw amendments. As the discussion continues, the central dispute remains whether any VA policy has formally permitted discriminatory treatment, a claim the VA and the White House continue to strongly refute. FAQs Q1: Do the new VA rule changes allow doctors to refuse treatment based on political affiliation? A: No, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the White House, the recent VA rule changes do not permit doctors to deny treatment to veterans based on political affiliation. Federal law still prohibits such discrimination, and all eligible veterans will continue to receive care. Q2: What did The Guardian report about VA rule changes and veterans discrimination? A: The Guardian reported that new VA rule changes, introduced after a Trump executive order, allegedly allow medical staff to refuse treatment based on factors like marital status and political affiliation. However, VA and White House officials have called the report false and misleading. Q3: What protections do veterans have under current VA policies? A: Veterans are protected under federal law from discrimination based on race, religion, sex, and other legally recognized categories. The VA has confirmed that all eligible veterans will receive healthcare services regardless of political beliefs or marital status, despite claims made in recent reporting. Q4: Has the VA confirmed any changes to hospital bylaws across its facilities? A: While some veterans' organizations note that bylaws may have been updated at specific VA hospitals, the VA has denied that any changes permit discrimination. Officials say all VA rule changes comply with federal law and do not restrict access to care for veterans.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Federal judge orders Trump administration to restore some research on women's health and transgender mental health issues
A federal judge ruled on Friday that the Trump administration must restore medical research articles from a government database, which were removed for promoting 'gender ideology,' per The Christian Post. The authors of the articles, Harvard medical researchers Gordon Schiff and Celeste Royce, sued the Trump administration over the removal of their research from the Patient Safety Network, according to The Harvard Crimson. One of the articles in question was removed for commenting on the diagnosis of endometriosis, an often-debilitating medical condition, for women, transgender and non-gender-conforming individuals. Another paper was removed for commenting on the importance of recognizing groups at risk for suicide, stating that young people, veterans, men, Indigenous, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer groups are at particular risk. Massachusetts District Court Judge Leo Sorokin argued that the articles' removal violated the First Amendment. 'This is a flagrant violation of the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights as private speakers on a limited public forum,' he stated according to The Christian Post. 'Because irreparable harm necessarily flows from such a violation, and the balance of harms and the public interest favor the plaintiffs, the motion for a preliminary injunction is allowed in part.' In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled 'Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.' The order described Trump's intention to 'defend women's rights' and only officially recognize two genders. Also in January, Trump issued an order titled 'Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.' The order stated that medical professionals across America are 'maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children' who desire to change their genders. To carry out these orders, the Trump administration scrubbed thousands of data entries concerning LGBQ and transgender physical and mental health from national databases. Entries about contraception, HIV and women were also removed. Multiple federal judges have granted injunctions against Trump's executive orders, including allowing transgender medical operations to go through for young people and requiring that related medical research be restored to government databases.
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Exclusive: Trump administration banned chosen names at FDA, NIH under new gender policy
Exclusive: Trump administration banned chosen names at FDA, NIH under new gender policy Show Caption Hide Caption Transgender people still face barriers to competent health care According to the U.S. Trans Survey, conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, a third of trans people have faced discrimination from a health care provider. Employees of the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health are being told to use their legal names in official systems, a move the agencies say is in response to President Donald Trump's executive order that reversed protections for transgender people. The policies affect transgender employees who use a name that aligns with their gender identity rather than the sex they were assigned at birth. But the policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden name at work, and people who go by middle names, initials, or shorten their first names, for example from James to Jim. The FDA and NIH policies go beyond a January directive from the Office of Personnel Management that ordered agencies to purge contracts and content related to gender identity and turn off features on email platforms 'that prompt users for their pronouns.' Both agencies are part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Media representatives for the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and NIH did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. The FDA website refers media inquiries to the Department of Health and Human Services. Memos came from FDA, NIH A March 14 memo to FDA employees obtained by USA TODAY said Department of Health and Human Services policy only allows employees to use 'full legal name' in their email signatures and cannot use pronouns or what the agency calls 'nicknames.' The memo said it was in response to President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 executive order called 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.' The order declared the government only recognized two sexes — male and female — that it says are determined at conception. The National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases told employees March 13 that employees had until the end of the day to remove pronouns and "nicknames" from email signatures, and that they could only use "full legal names." The memo cited guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH sent a similar memo March 21 announcing that the agency was removing 'preferred name' information in an internal contact system in order to comply with Health and Human Services policy on 'nicknames' and the 'Defending Women' executive order. The email also warned employees against changing their legal names in the system: 'Please be aware that any change to your legal name in (the database) will trigger a new background check and a new HHS badge request.' HHS news: RFK Jr.: Chronic diseases need top billing, not infectious diseases like measles and COVID How the policies affect transgender workers "It's showing how far they're willing to go for an anti-trans agenda," said Adrian Shanker, the former deputy assistant secretary for Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden who led LGBT policymaking. A National Institute of Health employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation criticized the move as an attack on transgender employees that goes against the agency's tradition of trans inclusion. "They work with scientists and scientists tend to be people who understand the basics of the diversity of humans," Shanker said. He said that meant the agency historically "brought in a workforce that believe in being an inclusive work environment and I think that's one of the reasons it's so shocking." Lindsay Dhanani, an associate professor of human resource management at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said choosing a name and pronouns is a big step for transgender people, and when people around them don't use those names or pronouns, 'that causes a lot of damage for people.' She said not honoring a person's name or pronouns are some of the most common forms of transphobia, and transphobia can lead to anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. However, 'when firms adopt policies that encourage all employees to bring their whole selves to the workplace, they tend to be more productive and may benefit by becoming an employer of choice,' a 2017 study published in the academic journal Human Resources Management found. Another NIH employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of losing her job, said the policy has confused colleagues who could not find her in the employee database, since she has always used her maiden name at work in order to maintain consistency in her scientific publications. Her legal name is her married name. USA TODAY requested a full copy of the Department of Health and Human Services policy on 'nicknames' that is referenced in the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration memos, but the department did not provide it, instead pointing to a press release about what the administration calls 'gender ideology.' 'This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,' Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in the release. 'The prior administration's policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.' Trump's executive order required agencies to make sure identification documents such as passports and visas "accurately reflect" a person's sex. The order also questioned a 2020 Supreme Court case that made it illegal for employers to fire someone for being gay or transgender, and ordered the attorney general to "correct the misapplication" of the Supreme Court decision. The Office of Personnel Management ordered agencies to "disband or cancel" employee resource groups that "promote gender ideology," and make sure that bathrooms are "designated by biological sex and not gender identity," among other things. HHS news: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggests compensating families of some people with autism How leaders identify themselves Websites for agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services now often show formal names for its leaders. The head of the Food and Drug Administration, who is often called Marty, is listed as Dr. Martin Makary on the official website. Kennedy's official bio lists him by his full name and briefly references him as 'Bobby Jr.' But Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, who went by 'Jay' in his previous academic position, is continuing to use his nickname in government. It appeared in the headline of an April 1 press release, his official biography, and multiple tweets published on official social media accounts. An essay published last week also used Bhattacharya's nickname in the signature. Dhanani criticized Bhattacharya's use of his nickname, and said it 'demonstrates that the rule isn't for everybody' and 'to me it demonstrates the intention behind the policy.' 'If the rule isn't motivated by disallowing trans people to be themselves, then it has to apply to everybody, and if you're in a leadership position, the modeling of this applying to everybody starts with you,' she said.
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Trump administration officials banned chosen names at FDA, NIH under new gender policy
Trump administration officials banned chosen names at FDA, NIH under new gender policy Show Caption Hide Caption Transgender people still face barriers to competent health care According to the U.S. Trans Survey, conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, a third of trans people have faced discrimination from a health care provider. Employees of the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health are being told to use their legal names in official systems, a move the agencies say is in response to President Donald Trump's executive order that reversed protections for transgender people. The policies affect transgender employees who use a name that aligns with their gender identity rather than the sex they were assigned at birth. But the policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden name at work, and people who go by middle names, initials, or shorten their first names, for example from James to Jim. The FDA and NIH policies go beyond a January directive from the Office of Personnel Management that ordered agencies to purge contracts and content related to gender identity and turn off features on email platforms 'that prompt users for their pronouns.' Both agencies are part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Media representatives for the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and NIH did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. The FDA website refers media inquiries to the Department of Health and Human Services. Memos came from FDA, NIH A March 14 memo to FDA employees obtained by USA TODAY said Department of Health and Human Services policy only allows employees to use 'full legal name' in their email signatures and cannot use pronouns or what the agency calls 'nicknames.' The memo said it was in response to President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 executive order called 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.' The order declared the government only recognized two sexes — male and female — that it says are determined at conception. The National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases told employees March 13 that employees had until the end of the day to remove pronouns and "nicknames" from email signatures, and that they could only use "full legal names." The memo cited guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH sent a similar memo March 21 announcing that the agency was removing 'preferred name' information in an internal contact system in order to comply with Health and Human Services policy on 'nicknames' and the 'Defending Women' executive order. The email also warned employees against changing their legal names in the system: 'Please be aware that any change to your legal name in (the database) will trigger a new background check and a new HHS badge request.' How the policies affect transgender workers "It's showing how far they're willing to go for an anti-trans agenda," said Adrian Shanker, the former deputy assistant secretary for Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden who led LGBT policymaking. A National Institute of Health employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation criticized the move as an attack on transgender employees that goes against the agency's tradition of trans inclusion. "They work with scientists and scientists tend to be people who understand the basics of the diversity of humans," Shanker said. He said that meant the agency historically "brought in a workforce that believe in being an inclusive work environment and I think that's one of the reasons it's so shocking." Lindsay Dhanani, an associate professor of human resource management at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said choosing a name and pronouns is a big step for transgender people, and when people around them don't use those names or pronouns, 'that causes a lot of damage for people.' She said not honoring a person's name or pronouns are some of the most common forms of transphobia, and transphobia can lead to anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. However, 'when firms adopt policies that encourage all employees to bring their whole selves to the workplace, they tend to be more productive and may benefit by becoming an employer of choice,' a 2017 study published in the academic journal Human Resources Management found. Another NIH employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of losing her job, said the policy has confused colleagues who could not find her in the employee database, since she has always used her maiden name at work in order to maintain consistency in her scientific publications. Her legal name is her married name. USA TODAY requested a full copy of the Department of Health and Human Services policy on 'nicknames' that is referenced in the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration memos, but the department did not provide it, instead pointing to a press release about what the administration calls 'gender ideology.' 'This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,' Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in the release. 'The prior administration's policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.' Trump's executive order required agencies to make sure identification documents such as passports and visas "accurately reflect" a person's sex. The order also questioned a 2020 Supreme Court case that made it illegal for employers to fire someone for being gay or transgender, and ordered the attorney general to "correct the misapplication" of the Supreme Court decision. The Office of Personnel Management ordered agencies to "disband or cancel" employee resource groups that "promote gender ideology," and make sure that bathrooms are "designated by biological sex and not gender identity," among other things. How leaders identify themselves Websites for agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services now often show formal names for its leaders. The head of the Food and Drug Administration, who is often called Marty, is listed as Dr. Martin Makary on the official website. Kennedy's official bio lists him by his full name and briefly references him as 'Bobby Jr.' But Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, who went by 'Jay' in his previous academic position, is continuing to use his nickname in government. It appeared in the headline of an April 1 press release, his official biography, and multiple tweets published on official social media accounts. An essay published last week also used Bhattacharya's nickname in the signature. Dhanani criticized Bhattacharya's use of his nickname, and said it 'demonstrates that the rule isn't for everybody' and 'to me it demonstrates the intention behind the policy.' 'If the rule isn't motivated by disallowing trans people to be themselves, then it has to apply to everybody, and if you're in a leadership position, the modeling of this applying to everybody starts with you,' she said.
Chicago Tribune
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Group files federal complaint over Deerfield transgender student using locker room
Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is in the national crosshairs, with a conservative group filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accusing the district of forcing middle school students to change into gym clothes in front of a transgender student. The incident previously gained national attention after the mother of one of the students, Nicole Georgas, went on Fox News to criticize the district over the alleged incident. She also spoke during a school board meeting to demand that locker rooms and bathrooms be designated for either biological males or biological females, arguing there is 'already a gender-neutral option.' In a previous statement, the district said students are not required to change into gym clothes in front of others in locker rooms and have 'multiple options to change in a private location if they wish.' The district said its policies and procedures, including those related to students' use of locker rooms, are in line with state laws, the Illinois School Code and guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education. 'District 109 is committed to providing a learning environment where all students and staff are respected and supported,' the statement said. Conservative nonprofit America First Legal (AFL) announced Tuesday it had filed a complaint with the criminal section of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, urging it to conduct a criminal investigation into District 109 and its administrators over the alleged incident. A DOJ spokesman declined comment, but a department source with knowledge of the complaint confirmed it was submitted. Attempts to reach the Illinois State Board of Education for comment were unsuccessful. AFL claims the district violated Title IX and President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14168, called 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.' AFL was founded in 2021 by Stephen Miller, a senior Trump advisor. According to AFL's allegations, the district's policy of allowing the transgender student to use the girls' bathroom and locker room led to a protest by a group of teenage girls who refused to change for gym class. AFL claims school administrators 'admonished (the students), and threatened them with discipline for 'misgendering' the boy and refusing to change for PE.' 'Shockingly, the school administrators, including the superintendent of student services, and the assistant principal, entered the girls' locker room and used their authority to intimidate the girls into changing in front of the boy,' the AFL said. In the release, Ian Prior, an AFL senior counsel, claimed the students' 'First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights' had been 'sacrificed at the altar of radical transgender madness and the woke government bureaucrats that view the Constitution as nothing more than toilet paper' and district officials 'should face the long arm of our Justice Department.' Protestors on both sides of the controversy were expected at Thursday evening's school board meeting, with Moms For Liberty Lake County and several LGBTQ organizations expected to advocate for support. Kristal Larson, who is the executive director of the LGBTQ+ Center Lake County, Avon Township's clerk and a transgender woman, said during a transgender visibility event last month that there is 'a lot of anger' and 'concern' over what has been happening in Deerfield. 'There's fear that other schools may be targeted in the same way, and that Lake County can become unsafe,' Larson said. But the controversy over the unidentified transgender student's bathroom and locker room use goes far beyond Lake County's, and even the state's, borders, Larson added, saying the transgender community has been a target of the new presidential administration. Executive orders from the Trump administration seek to stop transgender, nonbinary and intersex people from changing their gender markers on passports or serving in the military, force transgender women in federal prisons to be housed with men and bar them from participation in female sports. The orders also attempt to end gender-affirming care for transgender people younger than 19, and prohibit federal spending on the promotion of 'gender ideology.' 'Across the country, ideologues who deny the biological reality of sex have increasingly used legal and other socially coercive means to permit men to self-identify as women and gain access to intimate single-sex spaces and activities designed for women, from women's domestic abuse shelters to women's workplace showers,' Trump wrote in an executive order. The Deerfield controversy has attracted attention from unusual places. Last month, District 109 put out a statement saying it was aware members of the community had received communications asking them to complete a survey about Deerfield schools, which they clarified were not from the district. In the statement, the district said it was not aware of who was distributing the survey. In late March, Dave Nayak, a Chicago-area politician and former Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for the District 20 seat and said he had turned on the 'radical left,' announced he had commissioned a survey from conservative pollster group M3 about the district's transgender policies, ultimately calling for the district to change its policies.
