Trump administration to lift transgender bathroom guidance

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will revoke federal guidelines that tell public schools to let transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender identity, the White House said today.

The decision would be a reversal of an Obama-era directive advising public schools to grant bathroom access to students in line with their expressed gender identity and not necessarily the gender on their birth certificate.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the previous administration's guidelines were confusing and hard to implement and that new directives would be issued later in the day. A government official with direct knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press the Obama-era guidance would be rescinded, though anti-bullying safeguards would not be affected. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans and did so on condition of anonymity.

Although the Obama guidance carried no force of law, transgender-rights advocates say it was necessary to protect students from discrimination. Opponents argued it was overreach and said it violated the safety and privacy of all other students.

Spicer said the Departments of Justice and Education were working together on the new document.

"The president has made it clear throughout the campaign that he is a firm believer in states' rights and that certain issues like this are not best dealt with at the federal level," Spicer said.