In a move that many see as the next salvo in the Trump administration’s effort to roll back protections for LGBTQ+ Americans—especially transgender women—newly confirmed Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Scott Turner, has announced the suspension of the Obama-era Equal Access Rule. First introduced in 2012 and updated in 2016, the rule ensured that individuals seeking shelter in HUD-funded facilities could not be required to prove their biological sex when seeking services. Now, under Turner’s directive, that protection is on hold.
Turner’s press conference on Thursday, his first full day as HUD Secretary, caused ripples through advocacy communities. “We want to protect the ladies entering any HUD facilities,” Turner told reporters. Echoing language used by President Donald Trump since the start of his second term, Turner added that he aims to “restore equal rights, but no extra rights,” framing his decision as a measure to protect women in domestic violence shelters from what he described as “biological men who identify as female.” The move aligns with Trump’s Day One executive order mandating all federal agencies revert to recognizing only two genders—male and female—and follows a slew of new directives targeting the transgender community.
These directives include banning transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports, halting puberty blockers or transitional care for minors, and restricting federal documentation and services to biological definitions of sex. Taken together, the administration’s actions signal a broader agenda to undo protections set in place during previous administrations—an agenda that transgender advocates worry will endanger some of society’s most vulnerable individuals.
A Step Backwards for Shelter Access
Prior to Turner’s suspension of the Equal Access Rule, HUD-funded shelters and programs were required to accept a person’s self-identified gender, ensuring that a trans woman seeking refuge from domestic violence could access women’s facilities without facing invasive questions about anatomy or medical records. Turner’s announcement effectively reverses that position. Now, shelters could require proof of biological sex and deny housing to transgender women in women-only facilities.
According to Turner, pausing the Equal Access Rule “honors women’s privacy,” but trans advocates warn it places those who are already marginalized at higher risk. Transgender women, especially those of color, face elevated rates of homelessness and domestic violence in the United States. Losing access to shelters may push them into dangerous living situations, exacerbate street homelessness, or force them to remain in abusive environments they were trying to escape.
Why Transgender Women Need Access to Shelters
Transgender women in the United States face disproportionately high rates of homelessness and violence, making shelter access a life-saving necessity. According to research, trans women—especially trans women of color—are often pushed out of stable housing due to discrimination, family rejection, or employment barriers. When safe shelter is unavailable, many resort to living on the streets, where exposure to physical harm, abuse, and exploitation dramatically increases.
Shelters not only offer immediate refuge from these risks, but also provide a stepping stone for accessing services like healthcare, job training, and legal assistance. For survivors of domestic violence, a shelter can be the difference between escaping an abuser and remaining in a dangerous situation. If admission hinges on “proving” one’s biological sex, trans women may be forced into men’s facilities that heighten their vulnerability—or even turned away entirely. This policy shift, therefore, places an already marginalized community in further peril, intensifying the urgent need for inclusive, affirming shelter environments.
Housing Concerns and Turner’s Track Record
Housing and homelessness organizations have expressed further alarm over Turner’s past approach to homelessness and affordable housing. In a letter opposing his confirmation, advocates detailed several concerns:
- Rejecting Evidence-Based Approaches: Critics argue that Turner dismisses the proven effectiveness of “Housing First,” which pairs low-barrier, affordable housing with voluntary support services.
- Criminalizing Homelessness: They point to Turner’s endorsement of policing measures—ticketing or arresting unhoused individuals for survival activities, rather than offering meaningful solutions.
- Discriminatory Legislation: Turner has been accused of opposing affordable rental housing initiatives and supporting policies that let landlords reject tenants solely for using federal housing assistance.
These policy stances, combined with the suspension of the Equal Access Rule, paint a troubling picture for advocates and community organizers who fear that Turner’s tenure could dismantle vital safety nets. The intersection of discrimination and homelessness, especially for transgender women, can be dire.
Legislative Attacks Led by Rep. Nancy Mace
As HUD rolls back protections for transgender individuals, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.-01) has introduced a series of bills aimed at excluding transgender women from women’s spaces. Collectively branded as the Protecting Women’s Private Spaces Act, the Stop the Invasion of Women’s Spaces Act, and the Prison Rape Prevention Act, these proposals would bar transgender women from using women’s restrooms, locker rooms, and domestic violence shelters, as well as from being housed in women’s prisons.
Mace’s legislation would also strip federal funding from any entity that allows transgender women in women’s facilities. At a recent hearing, Mace used a slur referring to transgender women and doubled down when challenged, saying, “I don’t really care. You want penises in women’s bathrooms, and I’m not going to have it.” Many view this rhetoric—and the legislation itself—as a direct attack on the basic dignity and security of transgender individuals.
Life on the Ground for Transgender Individuals
For transgender people, particularly trans women, these policy shifts are more than just political maneuvers—they can have life-or-death consequences. Losing guaranteed access to shelters means braving the dangers of the streets or abusive home environments. For those who end up in the criminal justice system, being housed in a men’s facility drastically increases the risk of physical and sexual violence.
Moreover, these new policies compound the everyday hurdles that transgender individuals face in employment, healthcare, and educational settings. Despite widespread medical and psychological recognition that gender identity can differ from sex assigned at birth, strict adherence to a “biological sex” definition in government documents and services denies the reality of their lived experiences.
A Call for Empathy and Action
Despite the grim trajectory of the Trump administration’s “restore biological truth” agenda, transgender communities and allies are rallying in response. Grassroots organizations are working on alternative shelters and housing programs to fill gaps left by federal rollbacks. Lawyers are exploring legal avenues to challenge the new policies under constitutional and statutory protections.
Families, friends, faith leaders, and educators are also urged to speak up. Simple acts of solidarity—calling or writing to representatives, donating to transgender advocacy groups, or offering safe spaces—can buffer some of the damage inflicted by these policy changes.
In the face of adversity, many transgender individuals and their supporters refuse to be silent. Although new legislation and administrative mandates are rapidly eroding federal protections, activists stress that community care, visibility, and solidarity will remain powerful. For every policy that punishes trans people for living authentically, there are collectives striving to create supportive networks and platforms to share stories that humanize this marginalized community.
As HUD, under Scott Turner, recalibrates shelter access policies and the Trump administration continues issuing directives that roll back trans-inclusive measures, the stakes could not be higher. These are not abstract culture-war battles; they are issues of safety, well-being, and fundamental human dignity for thousands of people. For transgender women—who often contend with alarming rates of violence and discrimination—these developments stand to turn already challenging circumstances into crisis points.
Although the future of transgender protections at the federal level appears uncertain, the voices opposing these regressive moves are becoming increasingly louder. Through persistence, legal challenges, and the steadfast support of allies, there is hope that the rollback of the Equal Access Rule and similar policies can be reversed. In the meantime, the essential message to transgender people is clear: you are not alone, and many stand ready to fight alongside you for the right to live, safely and authentically, in a world that too often tries to shut you out.
