Trump’s Assault on Transgender Rights

Article by Rhea Gupta

Pauline Nijander is a transgender woman who lives in New Jersey, and is committed to telling her story and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. 

This interview was conducted on January 19th by Rhea Gupta. Responses have been edited for clarity while maintaining Pauline’s intent.

Today, Pauline Nijander looks in the mirror and sees herself—finally, completely—for the first time. But the journey to self-acceptance hasn’t been easy. Here is her story. 

Rhea: Can you talk a little bit about yourself and your journey as a transgender person discovering your identity?

Pauline: I knew from a very young age that something was different about me. In pre-Kindergarten, I played house only one time, and in that time, I couldn't quite wrap my head around why I had to be the dad. Like, for some reason, that just didn't sit right with me.

When people claim “kids don't know”, my story is proof that they do. 

Growing up in a Polish Catholic family, with a lot of extended family holding conservative values, it was hard for me to express what I felt. 

I didn't really fit the definition of masculinity growing up, so I tended to get picked on. I stuck to “gender neutral things” because if I showed affinity towards anything feminine, it put a target on my back.

As I got older, I did not like how my body was changing. I struggled with my relationship to God, because I was raised Catholic. I thought that since my body was changing in ways I did not like, God wasn't answering my prayers. 

So as I was struggling with that, I would have moments where I allowed myself to explore who I was as a woman. That meant sneaking into my sister's closet and trying on her clothes, or stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around my torso as a “dress”. That was how I allowed myself to explore, but it was all in secret. I never told anybody any of this.

In 2003 I met my wife, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. I don’t know what made feel like she was the safest person to come out to, but I came out to her and she was the one who helped me find the word transgender. It was really hard to accept it at first because I had this internalized transphobia. How many years did I grow up being ostracized because I didn't meet society’s definition of masculinity? I heard the stories of young people who came out and were disowned by their parents. They were all very real stories that were revolving around in my head.

It took six years until I hit rock bottom, and became incredibly depressed, suicidal—just hating every aspect about this life that people would have been jealous of. That's when I began to transition with the help of therapists and a doctor that specialized in transition related care.

It was in 2011 when I fully came out—meaning I changed my name, changed my driver's license, came out at work, and became full-time Pauline. I can't believe it's already been almost 14 years. It's just gone by that quickly. 

Living my authentic self has made me feel happier. I'm enjoying life. I'm smiling more. You couldn't pay me enough money to go back to living the life that I did.

Rhea: What would you say to people who believe that being transgender, or even being part of the LGBTQ+ community, is a choice?

Pauline: I would ask anyone to try being transgender and call it a choice. Who would actively choose to be a part of a community that historically has been ostracized? 

I even sit there and read some of the articles that talk about regret rates for transgender people who have gender confirmation surgery. Are there some who legitimately realize transitioning isn't for them? Yes, of course. But that’s what a great society should be. It should allow you to explore. If it's not for you, great. If it is for you, great. 

I tried leading the double life. I was miserable. I felt like it was in the wrong body.  Now I can stand in a mirror and when I look at myself, it just feels right. 

Rhea: Does the upcoming arrival of the Trump administration make you nervous about your own rights?

Pauline: I would be lying if I said I wasn’t very worried. I think if there was a Congress or Senate that was more liberal leaning, then maybe I wouldn't be as nervous. There is a lot of harm that can be done. A few years ago, I would have laughed off the idea of banning HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). Now, it feels like a very real possibility. 

The fact that something as fundamental as gay marriage could become illegal in some states is scary. I have the resources to leave if necessary, but what about those in my community who don’t?

I do count myself lucky that I live in New Jersey where we have our law against discrimination. I am grateful that Governor Murphy has openly stated his support for the LGBTQ+ community on numerous occasions.

Rhea: What inspires you to keep advocating for yourself and the LGBTQ+ community.

Pauline: When I first started doing public speaking, I was a member of the Speakers Bureau for an organization called GAMIC (Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County). They had panels where you could educate people on being part of the LGBTQ+ community. Through a friend, I met Mrs. Janice and I started speaking at South Brunswick High School. And now here I am 13 years later!

When it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, I showed up to rallies and hearings about marriage equality legislation in the state of New Jersey. I eventually joined the Unitarian Universalist congregation of Princeton, and I do most of my activism nowadays from the pulpit. I go to different congregations and I deliver sermons that speak to my experience. I want to help and benefit all members of the LGBTQ+ community, regardless of where they are and who they are.

Some people may never see another transgender person again, but I'm hoping that in their own denominations and in their own congregations, they can start nudging positivity instead of vitriol against the trans community: 

“We may not agree with them, but you know what? I happen to know someone. They're cool!”

Rhea: What advice would you give to someone who might be questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation?

Pauline: Feel free to explore. That's how you know if you're questioning your gender identity—find things that allow you to explore and find out what makes you feel comfortable.

I remember that when I spent time as Paul, I was miserable. But when I put on a dress, when I wore a skirt and a blouse, when I put some makeup on, when I let my hair grow long and just had fun, it felt right. Going back to my masculine self just felt wrong.

Take the opportunity to find safe people who can help you explore who you are. In regard to sexual orientation, ask yourself: Who do you like? Who do you find yourself attracted to? The heart knows what the heart wants.

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Unfortunately, the arrival of a new political landscape threatens to erase Pauline’s hard-won moment of self discovery. 

The assault on LGBTQ+ rights under the Trump Administration has been tremendous and devastating. In his first term, President Donald Trump nominated more than fifty circuit court judges with a history of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan exemplifies this trend, openly stating in 2015 that a federal court ruling legalizing same sex marriage would “demean the democratic process” and “marginalize the views of millions of Americans”. Two years later, he was nominated to the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, despite protests by many human rights advocates and lawmakers. His bias became evident in U.S vs. Varner, where he denied a defendant’s request to update her court records with her chosen name, refusing to use her correct pronouns throughout the hearing. 

But Trump’s efforts weren’t limited to shaping new legal precedent. He reduced the scope of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act which prohibited discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. He removed all LGBTQ+ content from government websites mere days after he was sworn in. He spent nearly eleven million dollars on anti-trans advertisements to win his 2024 campaign. 

His recent executive orders have been even more direct, mandating that the United States should solely recognize two sexes, male and female. He declared that the Bureau of Prisons must house transgender women in mens facilities and stop providing federal funds for any medical treatment related to gender transition. He signed an executive order to end DEI programs across all federal government programs He effectively banned transgender people from serving in the military, citing that their “adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle.”

"I have the resources to leave if necessary," Pauline says. "But what about those in my community who don't?"

These policies aren't just political maneuvers—they're attacks on human identity, attacks on the right to exist authentically. In prisons, they have already led to increased sexual assault on transgender women. In schools, they threaten our ability to explore and understand ourselves. In healthcare, they have criminalized medical support that helps people feel comfortable in their own skin. 

LGBTQ+ rights are likely to face even greater threats in Trump’s second term. Quoted directly from the GOP platform: “We will…ban Taxpayer funding for sex change surgeries, and stop Taxpayer-funded Schools from promoting gender transition” These objectives were substantiated when, in a 2023 video, the President promised to punish doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors if elected.  

When politicians like Trump debate transgender rights, they’re actually debating whether millions of Americans deserve to look in the mirror and see their real identity. 

“I tried leading the double life,” Pauline says. “I was miserable.” Her words reveal this simple truth: being transgender isn’t a choice, it’s about survival. 

In a country that is supposed to promise liberty and justice for all, there should be no compromise on human rights or dignity. We made our choice and now we’re seeing the consequences: Trump’s presidency is actively dismantling the rights and protections of transgender Americans.