The U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released new guidance reaffirming the acknowledgment of only two sexes—male and female—under federal policies. 

The move, announced on Wednesday, follows a recent executive order by former President Donald Trump, which shows the administration's position on biological definitions.

Federal policy defines male and female based on biology

The HHS, in line with the guidance, instructs federal agencies to acknowledge only two sexes and advance policies supporting the biological differences between women and men. 

This action comes on the heels of Trump's executive order, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," that argues U.S. policy must formally recognize the existence of just two sexes.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. commented in a statement saying, “This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government. The prior administration’s policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.”

With the announcement, HHS also rolled out a web page focused on supporting resources related to sex-based definitions.The page contains a video with Riley Gaines, a prominent women's sports advocate, explaining Trump's executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

In the video, Gaines contends that acknowledging biological differences is important for safeguarding women in sports, maintaining their privacy in locker rooms, and preventing injuries.“Recognizing biological differences between men and women is crucial to protecting women’s sports,” she states.

Clear definitions outlined in HHS guidance

HHS’s guidance provides precise definitions for terms related to sex and gender. According to the agency, a “female” is defined as “a person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs,” while a “male” is defined as “a person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing sperm.”

Furthermore, the guidance defines “woman” as “an adult human female” and “man” as “an adult human male.”

The announcement is a change of federal policy on gender recognition that strengthens the administration's commitment to policy based on biological definitions.

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