Why language matters…

Why language matters

Paul Carruthers, Nurse Consultant, Gender Plus Hormone Clinic 

In a troubling move, the Trump administration recently announced plans to remove terms like “gender,” “assigned at birth,” and “queer” from the federal lexicon. Under the guise of a supposed return to traditional values, this policy effectively erases the identities of millions of people who don’t fit within the stereotypical boxes of outdated, binary gender norms. As we watch the US government systematically strip away hard-fought rights, we must stop and ask: why is the language that validates our existence suddenly so dangerous?

For those of us who stand for equality, this attempt to erase trans and non-binary gender identities, LGBTQ+ experiences, and essential concepts surrounding gender and sexuality feels like a betrayal. Terms like “gender,” “assigned at birth,” and “queer” do not merely serve as academic or political terms - they reflect the lived reality of countless individuals. Language matters. It shapes how we perceive ourselves and others. By erasing the words that give voice to these experiences, the US government is denying the diverse spectrum of human identities which have always existed.

Equality means recognising everyone as valid, no matter their gender, their sexual orientation, or the words they use to describe themselves. The Trump administration’s removal of these terms is not simply an administrative change - it is a direct attack on the rights of those who do not conform to traditional gender norms, and on the very core of human dignity. It undermines the progress made over decades of hard work by the LGBTQ+ community, advocates, and allies who have fought tirelessly for visibility, acceptance, and inclusion. 

Erasing these identities is not only harmful to individuals, but it also erases a critical part of our history. History has shown us what happens when people begin to silence entire groups: it paves the way for discrimination and violence. We’ve seen this before, in moments like the early 20th century’s systemic persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals, and during periods of racial and ethnic cleansing, where the rights of individuals to exist as themselves were violently stripped away. 

Here in the UK, it is essential that we keep a close eye not only on what is happening across the pond, but how that influences our own political climate. We have already witnessed the politicisation of trans healthcare, and the direct impact that is having on people’s access to essential care. It is vital that we do not allow people’s fundamental human rights to be dismissed as wokery. 

Every person, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, is entitled to the same respect, the same legal protection, and the same ability to exist as their authentic selves, where we see that being threatened, it is essential that we act by standing with those who are fighting for recognition and acceptance - no matter how overwhelming that might feel. 

We must strive for a world in which everyone - no matter their gender, sexuality, or how they choose to identify - can live authentically and without fear. 

Using the language which validates the experiences of minorities is a core part of that process. As history shows, when we stop using the language of inclusion, we only perpetuate cycles of harm and exclusion; and we cannot afford to go backward.