US Army started the process of removing 1,000 trans personnel under new instructions
The US Department of Defense has begun to implement a instruction to remove transgender troops from military service after the green light from the Supreme Court earlier this week. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a memorandum on Thursday stating that openly identifying transgender personnel would voluntarily give up service by June 6, or will face forcible separation.According to the Reuters of the news agency, internal instructions provide active-duty service members a deadline of June 6, which are until 7 July in reserved components, while reserved. “At the conclusion of the self-recognizing eligibility window, the military departments will initiate involuntary separation processes,” Hegseth said in the memo.The step marks a sharp return on US President Donald Trump’s 2017 policy, which prevents transgender individuals from openly serving, which in 2021 was overturned by his successor, the then US President Joe Biden. Trump ended a major campaign pledge to transgender military inclusion, and his administration has consistently worked to limit transgender rights. His 20 January executive order announced that the US government would recognize only two irreversible biological sexes: male and female.According to news agency AP, about 1,000 transgender troops have already identified themselves since earlier instructions in February, who were in hold due to court challenges. Those individuals will now “start the voluntary separation process,” the Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed.Emily Shilling, a Navy Commander and one of the prosecutors who sued to stop the policy, said, “I know that this decision will create fear and doubt in the rank … For those who move, I say: Stand long. You are not alone. “Hegseth, a former host of Fox News, is known for far-flung positions, clarified his stance on social media, wrote, “After a Scots for @Potus, after winning, the Trans DOD is out.”He announced, “No more pronouns, no more climate-transit passion, no one else in clothes. We are done with that S ***,” AP said.According to the news outlet rolling stone, medical records will be used to identify service members under gender dysphoria, under treatment, or related symptoms. The soldiers under these categories will not be allowed to join or remain in the army until they meet specific exemption norms, such as proving support for war activities or showing stability in their births for 36 months without a significant crisis.The policy only allows limited exemption. Even with exemption, service members will still be treated to their biological sex for a formal address such as housing, uniform and “sir” or “mam”.The US Department of Defense spent about $ 52 million on gender-related medical care, including hormone therapy and surgery between 2015 and 2024. Currently active duties, national guards and reserve forces have around 4,240 trips diagnosed with gender dysforia, although advocacy groups estimate that the actual number is high.LGBTQ+ Advocates condemned the order. Jennifer Levi, a senior director of Glade Law, was quoted by Reuters, “It is insensitive to people who are meeting standards and are living on line to protect the country.”While in February, a Galp Poll has supported 58% of Americans to still allow transgender individuals to serve, the number has reduced significantly by 71% in 2019.
