Federal Judge Overturns Biden-Era Workplace Gender Identity Guidance in Texas

A federal judge in Texas, Matthew Kacsmaryk, struck down portions of the Biden-era EEOC guidance that required employers to use employees' preferred pronouns and allow transgender individuals to access restrooms and dress codes consistent with their gender identity. The judge ruled that the EEOC had overstepped its authority by effectively rewriting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits sex-based workplace discrimination, and that the guidance was inconsistent with historical legal precedent and recent Supreme Court decisions. The ruling, which came from a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the conservative Heritage Foundation, invalidated mandates that employers accommodate transgender workers in ways that conflict with biological sex distinctions. Heritage Foundation leaders framed the decision as both a legal and cultural victory, emphasizing the defense of "biological truth" and rejecting what they describe as leftist ideological impositions on workplaces. The ruling has been hailed by conservatives as a step toward reclaiming institutions and protecting women’s rights, while critics argue it undermines protections for transgender employees. The EEOC’s guidance, issued in 2024 under President Biden, was the first update in 25 years following a 2020 Supreme Court decision affirming workplace protections for LGBTQ individuals.