The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new guidance on Wednesday recognizing only two biological sexes, male and female, in alignment with President Trump’s executive order aimed at combatting the spread of gender ideology.
“There are only two sexes, female and male, because there are only two types of gametes,” the guidance reads. “An individual human is either female or male based on whether the person is of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs (ova) or sperm.”
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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that the department is furthering the Trump administration’s pledge to restore common sense in national health policy.
“This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,” Kennedy said in a statement. “The prior administration’s policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.”
The guidance explicitly defines ‘male’ and ‘female’ based on reproductive functions and emphasizes the importance of these distinctions in areas like healthcare and women’s sports.
Critics, including rights activists, have condemned this move as anti-LGBTQ and dehumanizing, arguing it undermines the complexities of gender identity. The HHS guidelines also note that transgender surgeries cannot alter a person’s sex.
The guidance also includes resources aimed at protecting women and children, echoing President Trump’s recent executive order preventing trans-identifying men from competing against biological women in sports.
Following the guidance release, a federal judge has temporarily blocked enforcement, indicating the contentious nature of the issue.
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