Executive Order 14168 – Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism
Federal
Signed January 20, 2025, this order mandates that all federal agencies recognize only two binary sexes determined at birth, removing recognition of gender identity across federal operations and documents. It prohibits gender self-identification on federal ID documents, directs restrooms and facilities to be designated by biological sex, and orders the removal of the word 'gender' from federal materials. Over 20 lawsuits have been filed, resulting in multiple preliminary injunctions, though the Supreme Court has allowed some provisions—including the passport gender marker ban—to take effect.
Supreme Court (6-3) allowed ban on accurate gender markers on passports (Nov 6, 2025); consolidated Doe/Jones/Moe cases pending appellate court ruling as of early 2026.
Executive Order 14187 – Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation
Federal
Signed January 28, 2025, this order directs federal agencies to withhold funding from any hospital, clinic, or provider that offers gender-affirming care (puberty blockers, hormones, surgery) to anyone under 19. Enforcement would cause major hospital networks to shut down trans youth care programs. A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction (PFLAG v. Trump, March 4, 2025) blocking enforcement; the case is currently in abeyance pending related appellate decisions.
Cases are being heard at the appellate level; Washington v. Trump preliminary injunction was partially stayed April 23, 2025. Outcome could remove the injunction and immediately cut off care for trans youth nationwide.
Executive Order 14201 – Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports
Federal
Signed February 5, 2025, this order prohibits transgender girls and women from competing on female sports teams at any level, and threatens to withdraw Title IX federal funding from schools that allow their participation. It does not restrict trans male athletes from competing on male teams. Challenged in Minnesota v. Trump and Tirrell & Turmelle v. Edelblut; the latter was placed in abeyance pending the Supreme Court's decisions in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J.
Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. on January 13, 2026; ruling expected by June 2026 and will determine whether 27 state sports bans are constitutional.
Executive Order 14183 – Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness (Trans Military Ban)
Federal
Signed January 27, 2025, this order reinstates the ban on transgender individuals serving openly in the U.S. military, directs the Department of Defense to discharge current trans service members, and prohibits pronoun self-identification. A preliminary injunction was granted March 18, 2025 (Talbott v. United States), but the Supreme Court allowed the ban to proceed on May 6, 2025. The D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments on January 22, 2026, with a motion for stay filed March 11, 2026.
D.C. Circuit ruling on Talbott v. United States is pending; outcome will determine whether thousands of currently serving trans military members are discharged.
DOJ PREA Memo – Eliminating Trans Protections in Federal Prisons
Federal
In December 2025, the Department of Justice issued an internal memo instructing Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) auditors to stop evaluating whether incarcerated transgender people are housed according to their gender identity and whether sexual assault reports are investigated without anti-trans bias. This effectively removes the only federal oversight mechanism protecting trans prisoners from sexual violence. A 2015 Black and Pink survey found LGBTQ+ inmates are six times more likely to experience sexual assault than cisgender counterparts.
DOJ announced plans to formally revise PREA standards to eliminate trans-protective language entirely. The changes have immediate safety implications for incarcerated Black and trans women of color, who are at acute risk of sexual violence.
United States v. Skrmetti – Supreme Court Ruling on Tennessee Trans Youth Healthcare Ban
Federal (Supreme Court)
On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Tennessee's SB1, banning gender-affirming medical care for trans youth, does not constitute sex-based discrimination under the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. The ruling upheld the ban and applies a rational basis standard (not heightened scrutiny) to similar bans in other states, making it substantially harder to challenge such laws on federal equal protection grounds. An injunction based on a separate Due Process claim remains in place in Tennessee.
Ruling cleared the way for all 25 currently enjoined state bans to be reconsidered; the 4th Circuit subsequently upheld a state ban on adult trans Medicaid coverage in March 2026, extending the ruling's reach beyond minors.
4th Circuit Court of Appeals – Upholds Medicaid Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Adults
Federal (4th Circuit)
In March 2026, a unanimous three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a state Medicaid ban on gender-affirming care, marking the first time a federal appeals court has enforced such a law. The panel reasoned that because the law restricts specific procedures rather than targeting specific individuals, it does not constitute illegal discrimination. This ruling extends the Skrmetti logic and threatens Medicaid access to gender-affirming care for trans adults in multiple states.
This is the first federal appellate ruling to expand restrictions to adult trans care. States may use this precedent to introduce or enforce similar Medicaid bans affecting adults, not just minors.
Mirabelli v. Bonta – Supreme Court Vacates Stay on California Forced Outing Injunction
Federal (Supreme Court) / California
On March 2, 2026, the Supreme Court (7-2) vacated a 9th Circuit stay and reinstated a district court injunction that blocks California's policy preventing schools from disclosing a student's gender identity to parents without the student's consent. The majority ruled that parents challenging the policy on religious grounds are likely to succeed under strict scrutiny. The ruling effectively mandates 'forced outing' of trans students to their parents, which advocates warn will increase family rejection and suicide risk.
Injunction is currently in effect, requiring California public schools to follow parental instructions on names and pronouns and disclose students' gender identity. This ruling sets a precedent for similar policies in other states.
Kansas SB 244 – Bathroom Ban and Mandatory ID Gender Change
Kansas
Passed by the Kansas legislature on January 28, 2025, and enacted after the Republican legislature overrode Democratic Governor Laura Kelly's veto on February 20, 2026, SB 244 restricts restrooms, locker rooms, and other multi-occupancy private spaces in government buildings to individuals' sex at birth. It also mandates that driver's licenses and birth certificates reflect biological sex assigned at birth, and invalidates previously issued documents that reflect gender identity. Repeat violators face criminal misdemeanor charges; government agencies that fail to enforce the law face fines and state attorney general investigations.
Law takes effect upon publication in the Kansas Register; identity documents issued before July 1, 2026 with gender-identity markers are set to be invalidated, forcing trans Kansans to obtain corrected documents.
Iowa SF 418 – Removal of Gender Identity from Civil Rights Protections
Iowa
Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on February 28, 2025, Iowa SF 418 removes 'gender identity' as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, making Iowa the first state in the country to strip trans people of civil rights protections in employment, housing, public accommodations, and education. The law also redefines 'sex' as binary and biological, prohibits schools from teaching about 'gender theory' in K-6, and blocks gender marker updates on birth certificates. A follow-up law signed in March 2026 bars local governments from maintaining broader protections than state law, eliminating city-level trans anti-discrimination ordinances in Iowa City and Des Moines.
Tennessee SB 1 – Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth
Tennessee
Originally signed in 2023, Tennessee's SB 1 bans gender-affirming medical care (puberty blockers and hormone therapy) for minors and creates a private right of action for individuals to sue providers. The law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Skrmetti (June 2025) on Equal Protection grounds. An injunction based on Due Process claims from the original ACLU lawsuit remains in effect, but its scope is now limited after the Supreme Court ruling.
Arizona H.B. 2085 / S.B. 1095 – Healthcare Age Restrictions for Trans Youth
Arizona
Two bills advancing simultaneously through the Arizona legislature in early 2026, both restricting gender-affirming healthcare for minors. H.B. 2085 passed the House and was re-referred to Senate committee (March 11, 2026); S.B. 1095 passed the Senate and was favorably reported from House committee (March 16, 2026). Arizona already has an executive order with some shield-law protections; these bills would override that protection for minors and expand criminal penalties for providers.
Both bills are advancing rapidly through the Arizona legislature in March 2026 and could be sent to the governor for signature before the session ends.
Arizona H.B. 2249 – Forced Outing of Trans Students in Schools
Arizona
This bill would require school staff to disclose a student's gender identity to their parents without the student's consent. H.B. 2249 passed the Arizona House and was favorably reported from a Senate committee on March 16, 2026. Mental health experts and advocates have warned that forced outing increases family rejection, homelessness, and suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth.
Bill is advancing in the Arizona Senate and could be signed into law before the end of the 2026 session, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's March 2026 ruling in Mirabelli v. Bonta supporting forced-outing policies.
Arizona H.B. 2589 – Drag Performance Ban
Arizona
H.B. 2589 passed the Arizona House and was on second reading in the Senate as of March 10, 2026. The bill would ban or restrict drag performances, part of a broader legislative trend targeting gender-nonconforming public expression. Similar bans in other states have faced First Amendment challenges and been blocked by courts.
Bill is advancing rapidly through the Arizona Senate with a likely vote imminent.
Arizona S.B. 1177 – Healthcare Funding Restrictions for Trans People
Arizona
S.B. 1177 targets state funding for gender-affirming care, restricting Medicaid and state insurance funds from being used for transition-related healthcare. The bill passed the Arizona Senate and was transmitted to the House on March 18, 2026. This follows the federal Medicare/Medicaid coverage proposed rules issued by the Trump administration in December 2025.
Bill has passed one chamber and is advancing to the Arizona House. Combined with federal proposed rules, it could eliminate all publicly funded trans healthcare in Arizona.
Colorado HB25-1309 – Protect Access to Gender-Affirming Health Care
Colorado
Signed by Governor Jared Polis on May 23, 2025, this law requires all health insurance plans issued or renewed in Colorado to cover gender-affirming healthcare when deemed medically necessary by a provider. It codifies gender-affirming care in statute, prohibits health plans from denying or limiting such care, and protects patient privacy around testosterone prescriptions. Colorado also has an existing shield law protecting trans healthcare providers from out-of-state legal interference.
California SB 497 – Strengthening Transgender State of Refuge Law
California
Signed into law on October 13, 2025, California SB 497 strengthens the state's 2022 Transgender State of Refuge law (SB 107) by requiring warrants for law enforcement access to the state healthcare database, establishing criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of gender-affirming care records, and expanding shield law protections to prohibit healthcare providers from complying with out-of-state subpoenas related to gender-affirming care. It also extends protections to individuals from other states who travel to California for care.
New York – Strengthening Legal Protections for Gender-Affirming Care & Reproductive Health Care (Shield Law 2.0)
New York
Signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2025, this landmark law significantly strengthens New York's existing shield law for trans and reproductive healthcare. It prohibits enforcement of out-of-state subpoenas related to gender-affirming care unless accompanied by sworn affirmation the information won't be used to punish protected care, mandates 5-day notification to the Attorney General when health information is requested, gives patients 30-day advance notice before any disclosure, extends protections to therapists, speech pathologists, mental health practitioners and other providers, and bars New York-licensed attorneys from helping domesticate out-of-state subpoenas targeting protected care.
Minnesota Trans Refuge Law (2023, updated 2024-2025)
Minnesota
Minnesota established itself as a Trans Refuge State in 2023 under legislation by Rep. Leigh Finke. The law prohibits Minnesota courts from enforcing out-of-state child removal orders related to gender-affirming care, blocks extradition for acts related to lawful gender-affirming care in Minnesota, mandates health insurance coverage for gender-affirming care, and prevents hospitals from denying trans patients care they provide to cisgender patients. Minnesota joined a multi-state lawsuit challenging Trump's January 2025 executive order threatening healthcare funding, and federal courts have ruled the order is likely unconstitutional, protecting Minnesota providers.
Equality Act of 2025 (H.R. 15 / S. 1503)
Federal
Reintroduced on April 29, 2025, by Rep. Mark Takano (H.R. 15, 215 co-sponsors) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (S. 1503, 46 co-sponsors), the Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service. The bill has never passed the Senate despite decades of House passage efforts. Under Republican congressional control and the Trump administration, passage is not expected in this Congress.
Transgender Bill of Rights Resolution (S.Res. 604 / H.Res.)
Federal
Reintroduced on February 11, 2026, by Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, and Rep. Sara Jacobs with nearly 100 House co-sponsors, this resolution calls on the federal government to protect and codify trans and nonbinary rights including access to gender-affirming care, anti-discrimination protections in housing and public spaces, and legal recognition. The resolution would support amending the Civil Rights Act to explicitly include trans people. Black trans activist Zannell, who spoke at the introduction, emphasized the urgency given that 63% of trans people killed in 2025 were Black trans women.
Black Trans Women and Fatal Violence – A4TE 2025 Trans Day of Remembrance Report
Federal/National
The 2025 Advocates for Trans Equality Remembrance Report documented 27 recorded violent trans deaths in 2025, of which 63% were Black trans women. Since 2013, 372 trans and gender-expansive people have been killed in the U.S., with 61% being Black trans women. The Trump administration simultaneously discontinued federal data collection on anti-trans hate crimes and withdrew funding from an LGBTQ+ suicide hotline. No federal legislation specifically targeting violence against Black trans women has advanced; the DOJ's rollback of PREA protections and removal of gender identity from hate crime tracking compound the risk.
Federal hate crime tracking for gender identity has been ended by the Trump administration, making it harder to document and prosecute violence against Black trans women. DOJ prison PREA rollbacks expose incarcerated Black trans women to heightened sexual violence with no federal oversight.
Florida SB 1444 – Religious Exemptions Expansion
Florida
SB 1444 advances through the Florida Senate (January 28, 2026 committee report), expanding religious exemption protections that would allow businesses, healthcare providers, and organizations to refuse services to LGBTQ+ individuals on religious grounds. This follows Florida's existing and extensive anti-LGBTQ legislative agenda, which already includes the 'Don't Say Gay' law (expanded in 2023 to all grades), bans on healthcare for trans youth, and drag performance restrictions. The bill would shield employers and providers from civil liability when discriminating based on sincerely held religious beliefs.
ACLU 2026 Tracker – 500+ Anti-LGBTQ Bills in State Legislatures
National (Multiple States)
As of March 20, 2026, the ACLU is tracking over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures in the current session. This follows a record 616 bills tracked in 2025 and 533 in 2024. The bills span healthcare age restrictions, school sports bans, school facilities (bathroom) bans, drag bans, forced outing requirements, curriculum censorship, religious exemptions, and redefinition of sex to exclude trans identity. Arizona has the highest concentration of advancing bills in early 2026, with over 10 bills actively moving through its legislature.
Bills are advancing rapidly across legislatures, with many state sessions scheduled to end in spring/summer 2026. Williams Institute estimates 50% of trans youth aged 13-17 already live in states with enacted restrictions.
Executive Order 14190 – Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling
Federal
Signed January 29, 2025, this executive order mandates elimination of federal funding for K-12 schools that promote what the administration calls 'gender ideology' and 'discriminatory equity ideology,' effectively censoring LGBTQ+-inclusive curricula. It directs schools to inform parents about children's gender identity and prohibits schools from facilitating social transitions without parental consent. It also labels certain teacher support for trans students as 'illegal.' A preliminary injunction was granted in E.K. v. Department of Defense Education Activity (October 20, 2025) and was appealed to the Fourth Circuit in December 2025.
Fourth Circuit appeal of the preliminary injunction is pending; if the injunction is lifted, LGBTQ-inclusive education at schools receiving federal funding would be immediately threatened nationwide.