LGBTQ data is disappearing under Trump, reports find

The federal government has removed questions about sexual orientation and gender identity from hundreds of government surveys, forms, government-funded research projects and other data collections over the last year, according to two recent reports tracking changes to LGBTQ data over President Donald Trump’s first year back in office. 

On the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order making it the government’s policy to recognize only two sexes — something experts say is inaccurate and leaves out transgender, nonbinary and intersex Americans — and setting out a slew of associated policy changes. Among them were directions for government agencies to offer only “male” and “female” options on government forms requiring information about sex. 

Since then, agencies have deleted gender identity and sexual orientation data elements from over 360 data collections, the reports found. Researchers say this is likely a conservative estimate that will grow.

The majority of ...