The US military has announced that it will not accept transgender people who want to promote or promote the gender affirmation process for active service members.
The memo, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., is the latest initiative managed by President Donald Trump to roll back the protections of transgender people.
“Any new access for individuals with a history of gender discomfort will be suspended immediately,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegses wrote in a note dated February 7th.
“All unplanned, scheduled or planned medical procedures related to affirming or promoting gender transitions for service members will be suspended.”
The Trump administration frames restrictions on transgender rights in the military as a necessary step to ensure “military preparation.” It also denounced what was called the promotion of “radical gender ideology” within the military, part of a massive campaign against diversity initiatives.
However, critics say the measures related to Monday’s notes are aimed at erasing transgender identity, perpetuating discrimination and forcing transgender service members to live with secrets and fear. Masu.
Advocates say that as many as 15,000 transgender people currently serve in the US military, from a population of 1.5 million active duty veterans.
Continuous campaign
In the United States, there is relatively extensive support for transgender soldiers and military personnel. Research firm Gallup released a report Monday that found 58% of Americans openly approved allowing transgender people to serve the military.
However, Gallup pointed out that the number had fallen from its previous highs. For example, in 2019, the approval rate was 71%. However, by 2021 it had fallen to 66% and this year it fell to 58%.
The company noted that Republicans and, to a lesser extent, independents were chasing away the numbers.
Trump repeatedly targeted transgender people during that period. During his first term from 2017 to 2021, he moved to transgender people as well from military service.
“After consulting with my general and military experts, advise that the US government will not accept or accept,” he wrote in 2017, “transgender individuals serving in all abilities of the US military.” I wrote two posts.
Former President Joe Biden abolished the restrictions. But when Trump took office for his second term this year, he renewed his campaign against transgender people and signed an executive order on the first day denying the existence of “self-rated gender identity.”
A few days later, on January 27th, he signed another executive order specifically directed to the military.
“It is a man’s claim that he is a woman, and his requirement for others to respect this falsehood is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member,” the order reads.
On February 3, a group of civil rights groups submitted a temporary restraining order on Trump’s decision, calling for six trans service members and two enlistment.
They filed a petition in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. As part of their complaints, they included testimony from a 28-year-old transgender woman, Miriam Perelson, who works in the US military.
She was reportedly told she must be classified as a human or expelled from the military. She also explained that in addition to being banned from using women’s bedrooms, she was also instructed to sleep in an empty classroom bed.
“I spent more than half of my life in the Army, including fighting in Afghanistan,” Army Sergeant Kate Cole, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, said in a news release.
“Deleting qualified trans soldiers like me means the Exodus of experienced personnel who fill important positions and cannot be easily replaced, putting the burden left on fellow soldiers. It’s wrong – and it destabilizes our army.”
But campaigns restricting trans rights are beyond the military.
On February 5th, Trump also signed an order threatening to withhold funds for schools that allow trans women to participate in women’s sports.
And in Utah on Monday, the state legislature bans living in dormitories that match gender identity, the first limit for expressly targeting transgender people in university housing. I’ve approved.
“If you don’t fit,” the Republican lawmaker said in a debate over the bill, “it’s your own fault.”
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