On Wednesday, the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, justified revoking the transgender school guidance by saying Mr. Trump is a “firm believer in states’ rights.” This inglorious justification has been deployed repeatedly by those on the wrong side of history in earlier civil rights battles. It was used to fight abolitionists, the women’s suffrage movement, the repeal of Jim Crow laws and, most recently, same-sex marriage.
As the federal government turns its back on transgender students, there is much that local officials, school administrators and parents can do to foster inclusive and safe learning environments. The federal government’s shift is no reason to abandon a set of common-sense guidelines that were informed by years of research by medical professionals.
This should be a clarifying moment for the L.G.B.T. movement. Mr. Trump has offered no evidence that he is committed to advancing L.G.B.T. rights. Unless and until that changes, safeguarding the remarkable progress this community has made over the past decade will fall on ordinary Americans.
—New York Times Editorial Board, Opinion Page,
from President Trump Breaks a Promise on Transgender Rights