> Transgender federal employees say they face fear and discrimination under Trump
Transgender federal employees say they face fear and discrimination under Trump
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A growing number of transgender federal employees are speaking out about what they call a hostile work environment under the Trump administration.
Marc Seawright, a former director at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, resigned in June after being ordered to erase references to LGBTQ identities from federal materials.
He says his tech skills were being used to "perpetuate discrimination against people like me."
Seawright is one of at least 10 trans and gender-nonconforming federal workers who shared their stories with the Associated Press, describing fear, isolation, and declining mental health.
Some, like U.S. Army veteran LeAnne Withrow, have filed formal complaints, hers after being barred from using women’s restrooms at work.
Withrow, now a federal civilian employee, says she sometimes drives 45 minutes just to find a restroom she’s allowed to use.
Represented by the ACLU, she’s leading a class-action lawsuit challenging the administration’s policy.
Since returning to office, President Trump has issued executive orders defining sex as strictly male or female, impacting everything from restrooms to health coverage.
Starting in 2026, federal insurance plans will no longer cover most gender-affirming care.
Advocates warn this is part of a broader push to erase trans people from public life, especially in federal workplaces, where workers have little protection if targeted by top leadership.
The White House and EEOC declined to comment.