Trump Administration Proposes Gender Identity Rule Change

0:00The Trump administration's housing and urban development department just dropped a proposed rule that scraps gender identity protections in federally, funded housing and shelters. It swaps out mentions of gender and gender identity for just sex, defined strictly as biological male or female. This move rolls back an Obama-era policy that kept these programs open regardless of how someone identifies. The change lets shelter operators demand proof of a person's biological sex before admitting folks into single-sex spaces. Officials say this locks in access based on unchanging biology, not what they call shifting self-perceptions. Public comments on the plan run through the end of June. Advocacy groups are firing back hard, warning it will block transgender people from shelters and let housing providers discriminate. They point out trans folks already face sky-high homelessness rates, one-third in a recent survey, and several times more likely than others to end up on the streets. Critics add it will jack up costs for cities, hospitals, and services by pushing more

1:03people outdoors. States are split on this setting up potential court clashes. Places like California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York, big gender identity into their housing laws while Iowa and Idaho stick to biological. Definitions for sex-segregated spots. As this heats up, keep an eye on those comments and lawsuits. It could reshape shelter access for vulnerable communities nationwide. I'm Cory with The Story, and you've been listening to Anchorage News today, AI-powered