The Trump administration has doubled down on its assault on the trans community. Reports are surfacing that the government are preparing to unveil new plans that will see transgender people lose the right to have their gender recognised legally.

According to The New York Times, the changes are intended to strip transgender people of official recognition by narrowing the definition of gender. Babies will be identified as male or female based on their genitalia and this will be unchangeable after birth.

The publication received a memo that outlined the changes that the Department of Health and Human Services are proposing. It read: “The sex listed on a person’s birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person’s sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence.”

This marks a u-turn from the promising progress from the Obama era which loosened the definition of gender in education, health care and beyond. In 2014, he signed a historic rights bill passing an executive order that protected federal employees from discrimination based on their sexuality or gender identity. As a kneejerk reaction one of Trump’s first moves was to ban transgender people from serving in the military.

When recent findings show that even being called by a chosen name can improve the mental health of trans people, news like this marks a damaging step backward. Here’s how you can help improve the trans well being in the USA.

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

There are a number of sites online that will help you find the right representative for your area so you can voice your outrage at the new plans. You can also write and call the White House directly.