Can we just start off by stating on simple fact? An individual's sex and that individual's gender are two very different things. Sex refers to someone's biological sex, as in the anatomy of someone's reproductive system. Whereas gender is based on the social roles of an individual and can be entirely fluid. This has been a scientific fact since young children started taking health classes back in the traumatic years of elementary school. However, in the year 2018, President Donald Trump wants to completely change that fact because he "seeks to protect the country."

For those who may not have already heard of the president's new proposed plan or are just confused on the subject of the matter altogether, let's go ahead and break down all the details.

On October 23, 2018, NBC News reported: "Under a proposal first reported by "The New York Times", the Trump administration would define gender as male or female based on genitalia at birth". President Trump went into further detail on a Monday before to state that "transgender issues were in flux". This quote explains that President Trump views transgender rights as "continuously changing". He continues to say that he wants to protect the country and everybody in it, but the policy in question would also make transitioning later in life unacceptable, as gender would be considered concrete from the moment an individual left the womb.

Our President says he wants to protect the people in his country, but an estimate from 2016 reported that around 1.4 million United States citizens identify as transgender individuals. So two years after the fact, the number as certainly has grown significantly. For the icing on the cake, NBC News also states that "The reported proposal comes little more than a week after New York City created a gender-neutral 'X' option for birth certificates, along with California, Oregon, Washington, and New Jersey".

This proposal will strip anyone who identifies as transgender of their rights as a human being. They will no longer be protected under the law from hate or discrimination. The policy will also encourage others to reject transgenders as human beings. These individuals will most likely be rejected from schools, military, careers, and provided little to no healthcare, something some individuals already struggle with today. The idea that our president and government are trying to "protect us" by forcing us into a world where gender is binary and concepts prescribed at birth are concrete will not only make individuality and creativity disappear, but will also force those who wish to , but are told they cannot, unhappy and could potentially lead to unfortunate and horrific events.

The future of our country is not binary, nor does our future need to be in order to "protect the country and everyone within it". If anything, the policy makes cis-gendered individuals more comfortable in their own beds at night while those who do not even feel comfortable in their own skins are left to suffer alone in the dark.