Social media reacts to Donald Trump declaring that America will only recognise two sexes: “all those years of progression gone in an instant”

Donald Trump has declared that America will only recognise two sexes during his second inauguration into the White House today (January 20).

The move comes as part of a spate of executive orders that the new US president will sign on his first day back in the White House.

Trump confirmed the news in his inaugural speech, saying: “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female,” as he appeared to muddle the terms “sex” and “gender”. Sex refers to biological characteristics of a human whereas gender refers to characteristics of male and female that are socially constructed.

His administration were clearer, however, indicating the President would sign an executive order today that would recognise two sexes only – male and female – and declare that they cannot be changed and that federal employers would need to use the term sex, not gender.

People have been reacting to the news on social media. One user on X wrote: “all those years of progression gone in an instant”, while another described it as a “step backward”. You can see some of the reactions here:

all of those years of progression gone in an instant

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