We’re in Danger of Repeating History Again
Jim Crow Segregation Raises Its Ugly Head Again, But This Time with Different Actors
Commentary by Robin Wonders
Once again, we find ourselves watching history repeat—but with new faces playing familiar roles. Back in the Jim Crow era, it was about race. Segregated bathrooms, separate water fountains, laws that pushed Black Americans into second-class citizenship. Today, it’s happening again—but the target has shifted. Now, it’s transgender, intersex, and gender-diverse people caught in the crosshairs.
With Trump’s black-and-white approach to gender, we’re heading back into dangerous territory. His policies erase the existence of anyone who doesn’t fit neatly into “male” or “female.” But let’s be clear—transgender and intersex people have existed for as long as humans have been around. They aren’t new. They aren’t some modern invention. They’ve just lived their lives quietly, without feeling the need to broadcast it—until now, when their rights are being attacked.
It’s not the legitimate trans community causing the uproar. It’s the squeaky wheels—the ones who aren’t medically diagnosed, haven’t gone through any process, and treat gender identity like a costume they can throw on when convenient. These are the individuals who jump into women’s sports or make headlines for all the wrong reasons. If they were truly transgender, they’d be living the life. They’d be following the guidelines of WPATH—the World Professional Association for Transgender Health—which has set the standards for gender-affirming care for decades.
Gender dysphoria is a recognized medical condition, listed in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). But don’t let the word disorder fool you. This isn’t about being “mentally unstable.” The medical community has been treating gender-diverse individuals for over a century, going back to the early Harry Benjamin Standards of Care in the 1960s. The WPATH guidelines today reflect a more compassionate, science-based approach that recognizes not everyone fits the same mold.
But Trump’s policies, and the attitudes they inspire, don’t care about the science. They don’t care about the real people who are just trying to live their lives in peace. It’s about forcing everyone back into rigid boxes, even if it means putting people at risk—just like Jim Crow laws did. Back then, it was "separate but equal." Now, it’s “you don’t belong here unless you fit my definition of male or female.”
And it’s not just about bathrooms or sports. It’s about survival.
In healthcare, this kind of black-and-white thinking can be dangerous—even life-threatening. Many transgender and intersex individuals face denial of routine medical care because their documentation doesn’t match their biology. Imagine being told you can’t get a mammogram because your records say “male,” even though you have breasts.
These rigid systems don’t just erase identities—they endanger lives. This isn’t about special treatment. It’s about receiving the right care for your body, regardless of how the government, an insurance company, or a set of outdated policies tries to define you. When healthcare providers are forced to follow black-and-white rules that ignore the spectrum of human experience, people fall through the cracks.
Just like Jim Crow laws once denied Black Americans access to equal facilities and services, these gender policies deny people the basic right to proper medical care.
This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening.
Lynn Conway, a pioneering computer scientist and transgender woman, made groundbreaking contributions to microchip design at IBM—work that laid the foundation for modern computing. Her legacy reminds us that transgender individuals have always been integral to progress.
Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, faced discrimination shortly after her election. House Republicans introduced a rule requiring members to use restrooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth, effectively barring McBride from women’s facilities. She now must use a “neutral” bathroom, just like the “colored only” restrooms during Jim Crow. Yet McBride doesn’t waver, stating: “I'm not here to fight about bathrooms, I'm here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families.”
Yes, there are those who pretend to be women. But there are also people who fully understand their biology, living with a legitimate, medically diagnosed condition. In every interview I’ve watched with trans individuals, they acknowledge the truth: they know they aren’t biological women or men. They know they’re different. But they represent themselves as such because it’s how they survive in a world that often won’t accept them otherwise. They respect the differences. They’re not trying to erase biology—they’re just asking for the space to live their lives without constant fear or judgment.
But if this black-and-white thinking continues, we risk opening the door to a Jim Crow-style society once more—with separate bathrooms and drinking fountains. Different names. Same oppression.
