Our political climate has been enduring quite the storm for some time now — it seems as though there’s something new to rattle us every single day — most recently, the Trump administration is making some serious effort to try to strip the rights of transgender Americans. The New York Times obtained a recent memo from the Department of Health and Human Services outlined their plans to limit the definition of gender to be based on their genitals at birth and prohibit them from changing their gender after birth.

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The plans in the proposed memo directly align with the Trump administration’s previous attempt to ban trans people from serving in the military which rolls back on protecting trans people when it comes to healthcare, housing and questions regarding their identity in the 2020 census. The latest memo read:

“Sex means a person's status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth. The sex listed on a person's birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person's sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence."

The New York Times also reported that the policies mentioned in the memo will go before the Justice Department before the end of this year — this means that if it’s approved, almost 2 million people will lose legal recognition of their gender identity and lost rights in nearly every aspect of public life.

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Despite how terrifying these policies can be, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to help and take a stand against the Trump administration’s latest antics. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to vote during the midterm elections. If you’re registered to vote — go vote. The midterm elections are important because it determines who gets to represent us, which means that we have a voice when it comes to making sure that we’re represented in the right way.

When you’re voting this midterm elections, ensure that you vote for people who do not support the aforementioned. Some candidates to look for are: Amelia Marquez (MO); Brianna Titone (CO); Danielle Skidmore (TX); Christine Halquist (VT); and Lasia Casil (Guam), who are also transgender people running for office.

Other ways to help include donating and volunteering — donating to Massachusetts Yes on 3 campaign and volunteering within transgender-focused charities can help tremendously to ensure that transgender people do not lose their right to live, serve and/or vote. Some more ways to help can be found here.

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Trans lives matter