President Trump has decided to take on science, biology, and common sense simultaneously. During his inauguration speech on Monday, he promised to “make America binary again.” His latest executive order declares that there are only two sexes—male and female—and that this is an “unchanging biological truth.” Within hours, he signed the order into law, wiping out federal recognition for about 1.6 million transgender and nonbinary Americans.
This announcement has left scientists confused and many people frustrated. Rachel Levin, a neuroscientist from Pomona College, said it was a “big mistake in understanding biology.” She explained, “It’s not simple to say who is male or female. Biology is complicated and interesting.”
The order claims sex is determined at the moment of conception and is unchangeable. But that’s not how biology works. At conception, a zygote is just a single cell. You can’t tell if it will develop into a person who produces eggs (female) or sperm (male). It’s all based on genetic and hormonal signals, which don’t fully kick in until much later. Even then, biology isn’t always straightforward.
For instance, there are people with XY chromosomes (typically male) who don’t respond to testosterone due to a condition called androgen insensitivity syndrome. They look and develop as females. Similarly, some people are born with male and female traits. According to interACT, an advocacy group, about 2% of the population is intersex—meaning their bodies don’t fit neatly into “male” or “female” categories.
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In short, Trump’s order ignores decades of research. Francisco Sánchez, a psychologist at Arizona State University, summed it up nicely: “Even though most people fit into male or female categories, there are still many who don’t. Why should the government base policies on outdated and overly simplistic views of biology?”
This order isn’t just bad science; it’s harmful to people. By removing gender identity from government rules, funding for research on transgender and intersex health might stop. Rachel Levin made a strong point: “Why would anyone fund research on something they say doesn’t even exist?”
Under the Obama administration, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recognized that transgender and nonbinary people face worse health outcomes than the general population. They started funding studies to address these gaps. For example, the Biden administration made transgender women a priority in its fight against HIV. Trump’s order could put these programs in jeopardy, worsening health disparities for already vulnerable groups.
But the harm doesn’t stop there. Elvisha Dhamala, a neuroscientist studying gender and the brain, warned that this policy fuels discrimination. “It’s only going to make transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals more susceptible to harm in all aspects of life,” she said.
This tactic isn’t new for Trump. When he doesn’t understand something, he simplifies it to fit his worldview, whether it’s science, economics, or climate change. Remember when he suggested nuking hurricanes? This executive order is another example of him ignoring experts and making a mess of things.
Science is messy, and that’s what makes it interesting. Trying to make everything binary, just male or female, doesn’t work, no matter how many orders Trump signs.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
