In May of last year, Obama outlined a directive to all states that transgender children are protected under Title IX.

Title IX is a gender-equality Education Act, that states, 'No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.'

Obama's guidance indicated that Transgender children were able to use the toilet and locker rooms that aligned with their gender identity.

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Politico has reported that, since then, nearly half of all States has sued over the issue.

There is also set to be a Supreme Court case next month, called Gloucester County Schools v. G.G. 'which resulted from transgender student Gavin Grimm suing his high school to use the restroom consistent with his gender identity', according to the Washington Blade.

Under Obama's direction, Title IX would explicitly apply to Grimm's case, however, there is increasing suspicion that Trump's administration will roll back this stipulation, so that States can individually decide their position on Transgender access to gendered spaces.

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This move is expected to happen as early as this coming Tuesday, meaning Grimm will find winning his case, though not impossible, far more challenging.

Sean Spicer has confirmed Trump's position on Federal vs. State control over this issue, stating 'This is a State rights issue', and that there will be 'further guidance' concerning this.

This 'further guidance' is expected to be a repeal of Obama's instruction.

In 2014 Obama signed an Executive Order that included LGBT rights in previous Executive Order 11246, issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

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This added 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' to the list of things that for which people cannot be discriminated against in the workplace.

Trump surprised many in late January by preserving Obama's 2014 Executive Order amendment.

He released a statement that The New York Times said, 'uses stronger language than any Republican president has before in favor of equal legal protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people...'

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This was disappointing for many of Trump's Conservative supporters who hoped he would rescind much of the socially-liberal work Obama pushed over his Presidency.

The recent statements, however, may have answered the socially-conservative's prayers.

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, spoke to The Washington Blade about her concerns.

This is the first day of the president's second month in office and he is now fully coming after LGBT people... I'm angry; I'm outraged. This is about kids who just want to go to school who just want to be themselves, and to hear the president a week or two ago talk about how supportive he is of LGBT people, it's just outrageous that he'd go after trans kids this way.

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, has also released a statement decrying Trump's plans.

Transgender young people face tragically high rates of discrimination and bullying, and they need a government that will stand up for them — not attack them," Griffin said. "It's shocking that this kind of harm would even be a subject of debate for the president. We call on Trump to immediately and permanently affirm the Obama Administration's guidance and protect transgender students.

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Daisy Murray
Digital Fashion Editor

Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.