Social Security Disability Listings: Replacement of 'Gender' with 'Sex' in Regulatory Text
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This final rule implements a purely terminological change to the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Listing of Impairments in the Code of Federal Regulations. It replaces every instance of the word 'gender' with the word 'sex' throughout the disability evaluation criteria used under Titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act. The change is mandated by Executive Order 14168, 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,' signed by President Trump. The rule does not alter any substantive eligibility criteria, medical thresholds, or procedural requirements for disability claims — it is strictly a nomenclature update. The Listing of Impairments is the SSA's official framework used by adjudicators to determine whether a claimant's medical condition qualifies as a disability. References to 'gender' in this framework are replaced with 'sex' to align federal regulatory language with the Executive Order's directive that federal documents use biological sex terminology. This rule has no direct impact on how disability claims are evaluated, approved, or denied. Applicants and beneficiaries under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs are unaffected in terms of benefits or eligibility outcomes.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- The term 'gender' is replaced with 'sex' in all applicable sections of the SSA Listing of Impairments in the CFR.
- Change applies to disability evaluation criteria under both Title II (Social Security Disability Insurance) and Title XVI (Supplemental Security Income).
- No substantive changes to medical eligibility criteria, thresholds, or adjudication procedures — purely a nomenclature update.
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Obligations
What this law requires
Replace all instances of the word 'gender' with the word 'sex' throughout the Listing of Impairments in the Code of Federal Regulations
Update regulatory text in disability evaluation criteria used under Titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act to implement the terminology change from 'gender' to 'sex'
Ensure SSA adjudicators apply the updated Listing of Impairments with the revised terminology when evaluating disability claims
Update CFR references to conform with Executive Order 14168 regarding terminology changes from 'gender' to 'sex' in federal regulatory documents