Transgender people serving in the US military will be discharged unless granted an exemption, according to a Pentagon memorandum filed in court on Wednesday, effectively barring transgender individuals from military service.

This policy, which goes beyond the restrictions imposed by Donald Trump during his first term in the presidency, has been described as unprecedented by advocates for LGBTI+ rights.

Last month, Trump signed an executive order banning transgender individuals from enlisting in the US military, using particularly offensive language. At one point, he stated that a man identifying as a woman “lacks the humility and selflessness required of members of the armed forces.”

Earlier in February, the Pentagon announced that transgender personnel would no longer be permitted to serve in the US military, nor would they be granted access to facilities required for gender transition.

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The memorandum extends the ban to transgender personnel already serving in the military. According to the document, the Pentagon must identify transgender service members within 30 days and begin their discharge within the following 30 days.

Transgender personnel serving in the US military are not required to disclose their identity, and the Pentagon does not have exact figures regarding their numbers.

As the Pentagon clarified, exemptions to the new policy will be granted on a case-by-case basis and only if there is a compelling government interest. Furthermore, to qualify for an exemption, a service member must meet a set of criteria, including demonstrating stability in both social and professional settings for a period of 36 consecutive months.

During his first term, Trump announced his intention to ban transgender personnel from serving in the military. However, he did not fully implement this measure, merely freezing transgender recruitment while allowing those already enlisted to remain in service.

The US military comprises 1.3 million active-duty personnel, according to figures from the Department of Defence. Although advocates for transgender rights estimate that up to 15,000 transgender personnel serve in the armed forces, official figures suggest the number is only a few thousand.

According to a Gallup poll released this month, 58 per cent of Americans favour allowing openly transgender personnel to serve in the military, although this figure has declined from 71 per cent in 2019.

Source: AMNA

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