Updated: 3/4 3:11 p.m.
Temple is continuing to safeguard its students and their expressions of gender identity despite the unclear ramifications of doing so following the Department of Education’s updates to Title IX protections.
President Donald Trump utilized some of his first moments in office on Jan. 20 to issue an executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which restricts gender identity declaration on all federal forms and prohibits the use of federal funds to “promote gender ideology.”
The full implications of the order and their actionable timeline remain unclear, as the Attorney General has not yet issued guidance, and some federal courts have already blocked attempts at its implementation.
“We still intend [to extend identity-based protections],” said Vice President for Community Impact and Civic Engagement Valerie Harrison. “You’ll see programming and protections and safeguards.”
Harrison’s title at Temple, as recently as two weeks ago, was the vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion and community impact. But the university shifted the name of her title, which was first alluded to in a December email from President John Fry that recapped a number of university changes.
Title IX is a landmark civil rights law that prohibits federally-funded institutions from discrimination based on the sex and gender expression of their students and faculty. The law ensures all students and faculty are treated equally and have access to the same opportunities.
While the recent executive order’s measures remain unfulfilled, it signals sweeping changes to federal stances on the expression of gender identity and the future of gender-affirming initiatives in higher education.
“It’s an attempt to control us all,” said Shiwali Patel, senior director of school safety and inclusivity at the National Women’s Law Center and a nationally recognized Title IX expert. “It’s an attempt to control how we present ourselves, an attempt to control women and an attempt to erase protections for trans, nonbinary and intersex people. The complexity of gender and sex is a threat to their agenda. Being clear about that intent is important.”
Patel believes it’s important that establishments like universities resist these measures.
“Institutions should really hold the line firmly against these attacks on student rights, and first and foremost create an environment where students feel safe and welcomed and affirmed,” Patel said. “This time calls for boldness and clarity around the law and around what these actions are really attempting to do.”
On Jan. 29, Fry wrote in an email to students and faculty that the university has a team tracking developments from recent executive orders to understand how higher education is being impacted and understanding law compliance.
The university issued a 2025 Federal Funding Guide to provide resources and guidance to federally-funded organizations on campus. Temple recommends all organizations consult the office of the Vice President for Research before halting any ongoing research activities under stop-work orders.
In another executive order issued on Jan. 28 titled, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” Trump announced his intent to defund gender affirming care in the form of hormone replacement therapy or surgical procedures for those under 19 and intent to review existing literature on the topic. The order called on the Department of Health and Human Services to “take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”
The effects of the order on gender-affirming services remain vague. Temple Health provides gender-affirming care like hormone treatment, gender-affirming surgery and specialized services like voice therapy and harm reduction services.
“I have an 18-year-old patient whose parents are threatening to kick them out of the house if they don’t stop their hormone therapy,” said Dr. Jennifer Aldrich, clinical medicine professor and gender-affirming healthcare provider at Temple Health. “That’s just one case. I have patients asking if they should stockpile their hormones.”
Some of Aldrich’s patients have come to her in emotional distress, fearing for their right to express their identity and access healthcare. Some patients have opted to schedule gender-affirming surgeries sooner than planned, fearing their restriction in the future.
“We have to think about the ramifications of a population that is already at higher risk of mental illnesses faced with the possibility of having to detransition, or experiencing big shifts in hormone treatment,” Aldrich said. “We’re all very worried.”
Federal courts began successfully blocking this order on Feb. 13, citing the immediate danger posed to patients by abruptly halting medically necessary healthcare. As a result, a nationwide restraining order of the executive order has been placed on its implementation, allowing Aldrich to continue providing patient care for now.
Aldrich believes Temple has made significant investments in its gender-affirming care center and remains fully committed to providing care. However, ongoing discussions within Temple Health’s administration have highlighted a potential risk: if compliance with new policies threatens funding, the hospital’s ability to serve the broader community could be affected.
On Feb. 20, Temple law professors and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies faculty hosted a teach-in titled “Tackling Uncertainty Together” to inform students and community members about the impact of recent executive orders on the LGBTQ+ community.
The event closely followed Temple’s Feb. 17 announcement that it would review its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies to make sure they are in compliance — which the university believes they already are. The review was prompted by a letter from the Department of Education sent to all public education institutions nationwide, according to a memo from Fry the same day.
Dr. Tom Waidzunas, a sociology professor and program director of GSWS, assured attendees that the GSWS program will not undergo any immediate changes due to executive orders or the DEI letter, citing ongoing ambiguity surrounding the policies.
Another panelist, Beasley law professor Dara Purvis, encouraged students to use their voices in course evaluations and student feedback forms, stressing that student input has historically carried more influence in administrative decisions than faculty concerns.
“The administration does not want to listen to faculty as much as it wants to listen to the folks in charge of the purse,” Purvis said. “You are all paying to be here. You are choosing Temple for its dedication to creating a diverse and inclusive campus.”
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