The administration of Donald Trump once again places the trans community at the center of the controversy. According to American media such as CNN and ABC News, the Department of Justice is considering limiting access to firearms for trans people, following the shooting that occurred on August 27 at a school and a Catholic church in Minneapolis.
The attack, carried out by a 23-year-old trans woman, left two minors dead and more than twenty people injured. As a result of this fact, senior government officials reportedly began internal conversations about the possibility of imposing a ban on the entire trans population.
Security measure or signaling strategy?
Although discussions are still in the preliminary stages, the idea sparks strong debate. Several expert voices assure that the measure could face serious legal obstacles, since in the United States the right to bear arms is constitutionally protected and cannot be limited indiscriminately.
Organizations defending LGTBIQ+ rights, such as GLAAD, have reported that the government is once again using a minority as a scapegoat. “Instead of looking for real solutions, the administration chooses to single out and persecute a small and vulnerable community,” one of its spokespersons warned.
A pattern of restrictive policies
If confirmed, this would be a new action in a long list of measures against the trans population during Trump’s second term. From the signing of an executive order that defines only two genders, to the expulsion of trans people from the army and the forced relocation of inmates based on their sex assigned at birth, presidential decisions have represented a setback in terms of rights.
Added to this is the crackdown on gender-affirming healthcare. In June, Attorney General Pam Bondi opened an investigation against health professionals who care for trans minors, sending more than 20 subpoenas.
Data vs. speeches
Despite the speeches that try to associate the trans community with violence, the figures tell a different story. A study by the Williams Institute at the University of California revealed in 2021 that trans people are four times more likely to be victims of violent crimes than cisgender people. Furthermore, less than 0.1% of mass shootings in the US have been committed by trans people.
The consequences of this constant violence are serious: higher levels of depression, suicidal thoughts and risks of social exclusion. As Ilan H. Meyer, a researcher at the Williams Institute, warns, “it is urgent to design policies that recognize the high rate of victimization experienced by the trans population.”
Beyond the headlines, the question remains: how can a country guarantee security without falling into discriminatory measures that criminalize entire communities? The debate about guns in the United States is still pending, but in the meantime, millions of trans people continue to fight for a right as basic as living free of violence.
