Actress and activist TS Madison has strongly criticized President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, which mandates that transgender prisoners be housed in facilities that do not align with their gender identity. The order, signed this week, stipulates that federal agencies must recognize only two genders — male and female — and bars federal funding for medical treatments aimed at altering an inmate’s gender expression. Madison, who is transgender, has called the order “an attack on everybody,” warning that it goes beyond affecting just transgender individuals.
In an interview with TMZ, Madison, best known for her work on The TS Madison Experience, voiced her outrage over the executive order. “You can put legal sanctions on anything, but you can never ever change anybody’s identity,” she said. “You have the right to identify exactly however you choose to identify, always.”
Madison, who made history as the first Black transgender woman to star in and executive produce her own reality series, went on to emphasize that the order was not solely about transgender rights but a broader attack on marginalized groups. “Trump may think he can legislate our identities away, but that’s not how this works. We’ve always existed, and we’re not going anywhere,” Madison stated firmly.
The new executive order has reignited concern among advocates for the safety and rights of transgender prisoners. The issue has gained heightened attention recently, as experts and activists warn that housing transgender individuals in facilities that do not align with their gender identity increases their vulnerability to violence and sexual assault. Transgender prisoners are already at an elevated risk of abuse, with reports indicating that more than half of the trans prison population has been sexually assaulted while incarcerated.
The executive order further strips protections for transgender individuals by removing their inclusion in the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) guidelines, which were designed to protect all prisoners from sexual violence. Julie Abbate, the advocacy director at Just Detention International, a nonprofit focused on ending sexual abuse in prisons, called the order “life-threatening” for transgender prisoners. She told The Appeal that it has “immediate consequences” on the safety and well-being of transgender individuals, both physically and socially.
“People will die,” Abbate said. “It’s unconscionable that the President of the United States has issued this order. It’s just unconscionable in its cruelty.”
According to the Vera Institute of Justice, 31% of transgender prisoners report feeling unsafe in prison, with a significant percentage also experiencing sexual violence. The shift in policy under the Trump administration could worsen these dire conditions, advocates fear.
This isn’t the first time Trump has attempted to undermine protections for transgender individuals in the prison system. In 2018, the administration rolled back guidelines that recommended housing transgender prisoners in accordance with their gender identity. However, the latest executive order goes further, making these policies legally binding and difficult to reverse without a significant legal challenge.
In addition to the prison policies, the executive order aims to eliminate what the administration terms “gender ideology” from federal agencies, instructing them to remove any statements, policies, or regulations that promote the inclusion of gender identity. It also bars the use of federal funds to support initiatives that advance gender-related causes, effectively erasing the recognition of transgender rights from federal governance.
Experts have pointed out that this executive order violates legal precedents that protect transgender rights. However, it is expected to have widespread consequences until it can be successfully challenged in the courts.
During his presidential campaign, Trump made numerous disparaging remarks about transgender issues, including claiming that Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, supported “transgender operations on illegal aliens in prison.” His administration has consistently implemented policies that critics argue target transgender people and roll back their hard-won rights.
The latest executive order is seen by many as part of a larger, concerted effort by the Trump administration to marginalize transgender individuals and erase their presence from public policy. As the order now stands, it remains a highly contentious measure that has sparked fierce opposition from LGBTQ+ advocates, civil rights organizations, and lawmakers across the country.
In response to the order, Madison and other advocates are calling for widespread resistance, emphasizing the need for continued activism and legal challenges. As Madison put it: “We’ve always existed, and we’re not going anywhere.”
While the full legal implications of Trump’s latest actions remain to be seen, it is clear that this executive order will add fuel to the ongoing debate over transgender rights in the U.S. As the transgender community faces heightened threats to their safety and identity, the push for legal protections and recognition is expected to intensify in the months to come.
