Biden’s Executive Order: What It Really Means
Originally Published June 27, 2022 on LGBAUSA.org
Although it uses the ubiquitous “LGBTQI+” term, it is clearly focused on trans-identifying individuals, of which many are heterosexual. It has nothing to do with lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) people nor with healthcare relating to same-sex orientation.
On June 15, 2022, President Joe Biden released the “Executive Order on Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.” Ostensibly, this order is issued to protect “LGBTQI+” people from various forms of discrimination. However, there are several ways in which this order is sloppily written and potentially harmful.
First, “LGBTQI+” is a bloated acronym, representing disparate demographic groups with unrelated—and in many cases, conflicting—needs and demands. Worse, not all these letters even represent defined concepts. For example, what is the proper definition of “transgender” or “queer” (or even “gender” itself, for that matter)? What does the “+” at the end include? This statement doesn’t say.
There are more issues with definitions found in Section 3 of this order, which deals with so-called “conversion therapy.” This section attempts to crack down on “conversion therapy” by empowering the Department of Health and Human Services to re-evaluate the use of federal funds for this practice; it also empowers the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether “conversion therapy” warrants consumer warning labels. However, we are deeply concerned about the definition of “conversion therapy” offered in this order, namely, “efforts to suppress or change an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.” The inclusion of “gender identity” in this definition is quite troubling because it is such a nebulous, undefinable concept. If “gender identity” is something different than biological sex, what does it actually mean?
Indeed, the addition of “gender identity” protection in the conversion therapy definition opens up a whole new can of worms. A crucial part of psychotherapy is to challenge patients’ internal narratives regarding themselves; hamstringing the ability of therapists to question any “identity” is extremely problematic. Another role that therapists can play is encouraging a healthy attitude towards one’s body. Is it “conversion therapy” for a counselor to help a gender-dysphoric patient accept their biological sex rather than undergoing a physical medical transition? The answer could very well be “yes,” especially given the lack of clarity in Biden’s statement.
To be clear, we have always maintained that any conversion therapy aimed at trying to change someone’s sexual orientation is immoral and ineffective. We also object to attempts to change someone’s “gender expression,” insofar as we believe the medical profession has no business reinforcing gender norms and stereotypes, and we firmly believe everyone should be free and encouraged to express themselves outside the constraints of these sexist gender roles. However, for the aforementioned reasons, we believe “gender identity” needs to be left out of potential conversion therapy restrictions.
We are also alarmed by Section 2a, which empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services to “protect LGBTQI+ individuals’ access to medically necessary care from harmful State and local laws and practices.” But what constitutes “medically necessary” care and “harmful State and local laws and practices”? We strongly suspect that this passage is a Trojan horse designed to prevent State and local governments from protecting minors from dangerous and potentially permanent surgeries and hormonal therapies. Although it uses the ubiquitous “LGBTQI+” term, it is clearly focused on trans-identifying individuals, of which many are heterosexual. It has nothing to do with lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) people nor with healthcare relating to same-sex orientation.
We would like to emphasize that any Congressional vote does not authorize executive orders. President Biden could revise or rescind his order as easily as he issued it. We call on the Biden Administration to heed our concerns and reconsider this order.
To read the full text of President Biden’s “Executive Order on Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals,” click here.
Original Article, click here.
"If 'gender identity' is something different than biological sex, what does it actually mean?"
Well I suppose there's might be an objective argument that could be made, in the sense that "gender identity" would refer to "gender compatibility" implying that a person's brain would either have certain needs that are only met by specific gender substances (such as hormones) or an allergy to specific gender substances, or both. I think "gender identity" would make sense if it possible for people who are stably multigender ("intersex"), as they shouldn't have to be forced to choose "only one" if they can choose to keep both without any adverse effect(s) (then again if choosing both early in life means fertility will be impossible later in life, that may complicate things).
In any case the government should stick to what can objectively be determined, as if it doesn't that would be indoctrinating citizens. Education means giving a person tools in the form of information such that they can then make up their own mind, even if they reach a conclusion the educator disagrees with or finds offensive. Free thought is the foundation of democracy. That means people must be free to choose what they believe about gender, but unscientific information may not be spread by the government, no more than a school may teach "flat earth theories".