Overview

• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new definitions of terms like 'sex,' 'man,' and 'woman,' aligning with a recent executive order by President Trump.
• The definitions emphasize biological immutability, describing sex as determined by reproductive anatomy and gamete production, excluding gender identity as a factor.
• Critics argue the definitions ignore scientific complexity and could harm transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals by rendering them invisible in policy and research.
• The guidance has been described by legal experts and advocacy groups as discriminatory and unscientific, with potential consequences for healthcare, research, and civil rights.
• The move marks a significant departure from the Biden administration's inclusive approach, which previously broadened the definitions of sex and gender in federal policy.