Trump moves to limit transgender individuals from military service

President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum that bans some transgender individuals from serving in the US military. Picture: Carolyn Kaster/AP

President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum that bans some transgender individuals from serving in the US military. Picture: Carolyn Kaster/AP

Published Mar 24, 2018

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Washington - President Donald Trump

signed a memorandum on Friday that bans some transgender

individuals from serving in the US military, but gives the

armed forces latitude in implementing policies.

The memorandum said transgender individuals with a history

of gender dysphoria, defined as "those who may require

substantial medical treatment, including through medical drugs

or surgery", are disqualified from military service "except

under certain limited circumstances".

It added that the secretaries of defence and homeland

security "may exercise their authority to implement any

appropriate policies concerning military service by transgender

individuals".

The White House said Defence Secretary Jim Mattis had found

that individuals with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria

presented a risk to military effectiveness.

"This new policy will enable the military to apply

well-established mental and physical health standards ...

equally to all individuals who want to join and fight for the

best military force the world has ever seen," it said.

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The Democratic National Committee criticised the move as an

insult to transgender service members. In a strongly-worded

statement, US House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said the

policy would harm the nation.

"This latest memorandum is the same cowardly, disgusting ban

the President announced last summer," she said. "The President’s

hateful ban is purpose-built to humiliate our brave transgender

members of the military who serve with honour and dignity."

Trump's decision is less restrictive than his initial

comments in a July Twitter message saying he would prohibit

transgender people from military service. That blanket ban

reversed former President Barack Obama’s policy.

At the time, Trump said on Twitter, the military "cannot be

burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that

transgender in the military would entail".

However, a number of federal judges have already issued

rulings blocking Trump's ban, saying it would probably violate

the right, under the US Constitution, to equal protection

under the law.

On Friday, the Pentagon reaffirmed that it would continue to

comply with federal law.

"(The Pentagon) will continue to assess and retain

transgender service members," Pentagon spokesman Major David

Eastburn said.

In a February memorandum to the White House, made public on

Friday, Mattis said transgender individuals with a history of

gender dysphoria were disqualified from military service.

But he added that those currently serving could continue to

serve if they had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria since

Obama's policy took effect.

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Mattis also recommended that transgender individuals who

require or have undergone gender transition be disqualified from

military service.

"In my professional judgment, these policies will place the

Department of Defence in the strongest position to protect the

American people, to fight and win America's wars, and to ensure

the survival and success of our service members around the

world," Mattis wrote.

A court filing by the Trump administration said 8,980

service members reportedly identify as transgender, but only 937

active duty service members were diagnosed with gender dysphoria

since June 30, 2016.

At least one openly transgender recruit has already signed a

contract to join the US military since a federal court ruled

late last year that the military would have to accept

transgender individuals.

The Department of Justice said it would continue to defend

the defence department's authority to create and implement

personnel policies.

"Consistent with this new policy, we are asking the courts

to lift all related preliminary injunctions in order to ensure

the safety and security of the American people and the best

fighting force in the world," it said in a statement.

Advocates have said they believe dozens, if not hundreds, of

transgender people will seek to join those already serving.

The Human Rights Campaign, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and

transgender advocacy group, condemned the Trump policy.

"There is simply no way to spin it, the Trump-Pence

administration is going all in on its discriminatory,

unconstitutional and despicable ban on transgender troops," Chad

Griffin, its president, said in a statement. 

Reuters

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