Transgender Federal Employees
The alarm bells must be rung. Lambda Legal and ACLU will do it with you.
The queer ship is in the middle of the storm. It is thunderous. The compass is shot. The captain isn’t sure where to go. Everyone on the ship is holding on, bracing for the next lightening bolt to shock the darkness itself.
I’ve been largely missing in action on here since January 20th for a couple reasons. As a transgender federal employee whose field of work was a primary target on inauguration day, it’s been… absolute mayhem. Now that my fear of losing my job - which I still might - has subsided, and I’ve got a good grip on the ship’s bow, I’m ready to speak up and do what is right.
We need to steer the queer ship through the storm. And the queer ship isn’t the only one lost at sea, for that matter. So what do we do?
Research, identify, share, communicate, and circulate information. When we share valuable sources of information in an effort to mobilize, we navigate the storm with a sure hand on the helm. While the path is unpredictable, we can chart the waters by strategizing with those on board how to work with the present forecast.
Similar to my Queer Reads series, I’m going take part in steering the queer ship by hosting a Queer Information series. If you’re on a desktop computer, you can view this series via my Substack homepage. As far as I see, the Substack app does not show customized tabs yet. Darn! Most of you are probably reading this through your phone.
I’m going to lead off this Queer Information series with a resource or rather, a couple actionable items for transgender federal employees to consider. Before you say that ain’t me, stick around a minute. Trans feds, feel free to scroll down to the bottom to access the actionable items.
Though none of this is linear, let’s start here by familiarizing ourselves with what transgender federal employees have been facing. A general rundown, if you will.
Read this Executive Order, issued on January 20, 2025 by the White House. This executive order is a bold attempt to erase the transgender community in the federal government. Erin Reed provides a helpful line-by-line analysis.
Read this memorandum* issued on January 29, 2025 by the Office of Personnel Management. It serves as initial guidance that was sent out to all federal agencies’ heads and acting heads to implement the above-mentioned executive order.
Since the above-mentioned executive order and memorandum were issued, federal agencies have been implementing unlawful discriminatory actions toward transgender people in the civil service. This includes but is not limited to:
Ending trainings for the federal workforce and private employers about their obligations to transgender people under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and other federal laws that protect transgender people.
Threatening all employees whose position description involves “inculcating or promoting gender ideology” be put on immediate administrative leave.
Disbanding employee resource groups that recognize or support transgender people which essentially bans all groups that support LGBTQIA+ employees.
Banning transgender employees from using the restroom that aligns with their gender identity while at work.
Requiring employees to remove all pronouns from work platforms or spaces.
Removing information from websites and materials that once served as resources for the LGBTQIA+ employees and community.
The list goes on, folks.
And that’s just the beginning. It’s only been 16 days and the workplace environment across the federal government grows increasingly hostile for transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex employees. Not to mention the requirement for federal employees to begin reporting to work in-person 5 days a week. I’m due to return in person full-time at the end of the month.
Lambda Legal's Action Item
Lambda Legal would like to hear from you if you’re a transgender, gender non-conforming, or intersex employee working for a federal agency. They’d like to hear how you are being affected by the new administration’s executive orders, or policy and procedure changes being announced in your workplace related to transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex identities.
ACLU’s Action Item
ACLU would like to hear from you if you’ve experienced discrimination because of your sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status regarding the use of federal facilities.
If you are NOT transgender, but know someone who is and works for the federal government, let them know Lambda Legal and ACLU want to hear from them.
If that still doesn’t apply to you, share however you can. Restack (equivalent to retweeting). Forward the email. Send a text with a link, links, any link within.
It’s going to take all of us to get this queer ship through the maddening storm.
Have at it, captain.
-s.g.
*Note: The memorandums included in this post are all public documents. Anyone can access them if they have access to the internet. Additionally, none of the information I shared is classified information. If you’d like to browse through more memorandums released by the Office of Personnel Management that affects the federal workforce, you can do so here.
No one edits my writing. I’m no expert in language use and word order. I ask for your grace if you stumble across any errors or mistakes in my written pieces. The same goes for my voice recording as I may mispronounce some words. On both counts, consider it part of my art; an imperfect expression plucked from my heart and placed onto your screen. Consensual hugs.
Don’t take the buyout by Trump!! Stay strong!!