Transgender People Banned from the U.S. Military
At the end of January, Donald Trump had already issued an executive order banning the recruitment of transgender service members, a decision that was immediately challenged in court. His argument was clear: in order to preserve the world’s “most lethal” fighting force, it was necessary to purge the military of “transgender ideology.”
On Wednesday, the Pentagon confirmed the exclusion of trans individuals, in line with the threats regularly mentioned by the president’s entourage. A service memo states that “any service member whose diagnosis or history indicates gender dysphoria will be discharged.” Soldiers already on active duty are not exempt from this rule: they too are at risk of being excluded.
A potential “case-by-case” exemption is nonetheless provided if a “major governmental interest” justifies keeping certain trans people in the military. To obtain it, one must prove, among other things, never to have begun any transition process and demonstrate a “stable” record over 36 consecutive months, both socially and professionally. Trans candidates wishing to enlist can also request a similar exemption, provided they fully comply with the standards imposed by their birth sex.
These measures are set to take effect within 30 days. They mark a significant step backward: since 2016, under the Obama administration, transgender people had been allowed to serve in the U.S. military. The current Republican government is thus bringing an end to that progress, sparking a new wave of protest within the LGBT+ community.
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