On the day of his second presidential inauguration, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14168, stating the U.S. shall recognize individuals by their sex assigned at birth, officially kicking off the Trump administration’s war on transgender rights.
The administration has not let up since.
Eight days after his inauguration, Trump signed another executive order banning gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 19, leading hospitals across the country to cut treatments for minors.
Pressure from the administration likely influenced the National Park’s Service to remove all mentions of trans people from the Stonewall National Monument’s website. Another executive order banned public schools from teaching “gender ideology.” The goal is becoming clear — the Trump administration aims to erase trans identity from public life.
But, contrary to what Trump wants you to believe, trans and nonbinary people will not go anywhere.
Fear was the most common sentiment among the trans and nonbinary students I spoke with. As a result, many requested not to be attributed using their full names.
The fact that students on our campus do not feel safe publicly identifying themselves as trans says enough on its own.
Cedar, a nonbinary student at the University of Minnesota, said the period after the election was really difficult.
“I think it was a lot of grieving,” Cedar said. “Everyone was real sad.”
Luan Tichy, a trans-masculine student at the University, said he had a lot of hope going into the 2024 election, and experiencing the onslaught of hate that followed has been crushing.
“Obviously if you’re in an urban place, like at the school, it’s gonna seem like there’s more of us because we’re kind of dense there,” Tichy said. “But you have to look at the bigger picture, and it’s scary.”
Nora, a fifth-year student at the University who has identified as a two-spirit for the past five years, said that although she is unsurprised by the Trump administration’s actions, she is disappointed in the lackluster response from the Democrats.
“I did expect (the attacks) to come as sudden as it had been,” Nora said. “The things that I didn’t expect was how fast any kind of federal support folded. I thought Democrats in the House and Senate might put up more of a fight, not just play the defense game.”
Nora is right regarding the administration’s actions — Trump’s anti-trans agenda was described in Project 2025, a document outlining the policy goals for Trump’s second term in office. This did not come from nowhere.
Nora said she is concerned about the executive order counting 18-year-olds as minors. She said she worries this might be opening the door to target gender-affirming care for adults in the future.
Lily, a trans woman and fourth-year student, also said she worries about her continued access to healthcare.
Lily said with the Trump administration’s several threats to pull funding from public universities for refusing to comply with the executive’s policies, she worries whether their actions may impact her access to gender-affirming care through Boynton Health in the future.
Nora said she is taking many precautions to stay safe and hopeful.
“Being aware of my identity, trying to protect myself,” Nora said. “Trying to insulate myself from any kind of investigation or attack just for existing, and then having some very difficult conversations with healthcare providers of future steps, planning ahead access or lack of access and then trying to build support networks within the community.”
Every student I talked to said trans students must find community with each other during these scary times.
“You can find connection with people,” Cedar said. “So that you’re not alone. Because isolation when the world is so mean is the worst thing.”
Cedar said trans students should avoid engaging with bigots on the internet and instead look for support from people in their own lives.
“All these people who are spreading hate about you through legislation and through talking on the internet are not the majority,” Cedar said. “There are lots of people out there who care about you and are there to support you through the struggles.”
Our trans and nonbinary peers are going through the same journey of self-discovery that is intrinsic to the college experience, only instead of being supported, they are denied the opportunity to express their authentic selves.
In 2025, it is outrageous that any student feels they must hide their identity or put their safety at risk.
Trans students are an integral part of our on-campus communities. They are our coworkers, our peers and our friends. It is our responsibility as allies to uplift trans voices and defend the community when our government decides to strip them of the basic dignities that should be awarded to all individuals.
“Keep on voting, representing and advocating for the transgender community,” Tichy said. “Because a lot of times they’re young and they can’t advocate for themselves.”
Cedar and Lily are involved with the queer student cultural center at the University. Their office in Coffman Union serves as a safe space for queer students to hang out and find community.
When the government is doing everything in its power to diminish the voices of trans people, it is more important than ever that trans people have a place to feel safe and heard.
To every trans or nonbinary person reading this, remember that you are not alone. The government benefits from making you feel isolated and hopeless. Finding happiness in your identity despite everyone trying to take your joy away is resistance.
No matter how hard they try, no one can take away trans hope.