Under the new presidential administration, some University of Oregon staff and students are expressing concerns over their uncertainty on matters that were previously implemented to safeguard the equality and safety of all citizens. 

These uncertainties range from gender-affirming healthcare for transgender individuals to abortion and IVF rights. 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20 that claims to “defend women’s rights…by using clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male.”

This is just one of numerous decisions made on behalf of the Trump administration thus far that attempts to dismantle the rights of these communities and in response, some Oregonians are working to mobilize and mitigate within the state legislature as a precautionary measure.  

“Any kind of health care is health care, even if some people don’t believe that. Even if it’s not healthcare for everybody, it’s still healthcare for people,” Amy Loya, a second-year psychology and family human services student at UO, said. 

Oregon’s American Civil Liberties Union serves to “defend the rights of all people nationwide,” and considers immigrant rights, trans justice, reproductive freedom and more to be at risk according to its mission statement.

The ACLU authored the Equal Rights for All campaign, which was last updated in January in an effort to safeguard the rights of individuals whose rights may be at risk by President Trump’s administration. 

This campaign asks voters to update the language in Oregon’s constitution to explicitly protect the equal rights for all to make private and personal health decisions “regardless of one’s gender identity, sexual orientation or if they are pregnant,” according to the ACLU webpage. 

The Associated Students of the University of Oregon’s Director of Basic Needs Fiona Sherwood said she is in the process of researching the act and considering how ASUO can mobilize registered voters to get it on the November 2026 ballot.  

This campaign aims to update the Oregon legislature for all Oregonians “to make clear that everyone has equal rights to make private and personal decisions regardless of one’s gender identity, sexual orientation or if they are pregnant,” according to the campaign flyer.  

With the Trump administration limiting or minimizing access to these resources for LGBTQIA+, the purpose is to solidify clear language regarding these issues to ensure that they “are as strong in the Oregon constitution as they possibly can be,” Sherwood said. 

“When basic human and civil rights are under attack by the federal government, enshrining these rights for inclusion, anti-discrimination, welcome and protection into state law both articulates that inclusion is a state value and offers reassurance for transgender and gender diverse communities that Oregon is a safe and welcoming place for them to live, work and thrive,” Kristin Yarris, department head and professor of women, gender and sexuality studies, said.

This campaign would not be seen on the ballot until November 2026 as it is in “the first steps,” according to Sherwood.

“They (the ACLU) are currently in the process of trying to get 200,000 signatures to get it on the November 2026 ballot. So it’s kind of a long time in the making,” Sherwood said.

According to Sherwood, ASUO is not confirmed to be associated with this campaign, but she said that ASUO is interested in looking into mobilizing this campaign at UO.

“I think the main … goal is to help collect signatures of Oregon voters just around campus, kind of spread the word so that more students on campus know about it,” she said. 

Kate Elliott, a sophomore at the UO said, “Although it pains me that those things (healthcare rights) have become political, it is important to have it written so that we have protection to be who we naturally are born to be.

“As someone in the LGBTQ+ community, I feel lucky to have grown up accepted by my family and friends. I got the support I needed to be myself. To think of a future where people won’t get that same response, it’s really upsetting,” Elliott said.