The Trump administration plans to legally redefine sex and gender, starting with young people. This plan, while not yet officially announced, would effectively exclude trans and non-binary students from legal protections under Title IX, paving the way for the further erosion of basic civil rights for transgender people, intersex people, and anyone who does not conform to strict gender roles.

As a human rights organization, NESRI affirms that rights are indivisible. We stand in deep solidarity with transgender and gender nonconforming communities, and commit to stand by them. The right to express yourself, including your gender identity, and have it recognized its essential to a person’s basic dignity. Regardless of gender identity, all people also deserve the full range of economic and social rights, including a decent standard of living, healthcare, and adequate housing.

This latest assault could set back decades of legal protections won by the trans community and their allies. It is part of a greater pattern of attacks on the civil rights of the most vulnerable, including immigrants, religious minorities, people of color, disabled people, and those living in poverty. For those who are multiply targeted by these measures, the struggles are only compounded.

The transgender community has a long history of struggle, survival, and triumph. Today, we lift up the names of Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major Griffin Gracy, Monica Jones, Sharmus Outlaw, Leslie Feinberg, Dean Spade, and many other warriors, living and dead, who have inspired us in this work. The Trump administration cannot erase this history or the lives and identities of millions of people, and we look forward to standing together and fighting back.