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KEY POINTS
- Transgender service members can ‘voluntarily’ leave the military within 30 days
- They may attempt to obtain a waiver if they don’t want to be ‘separated’ from the military
- Requirements for obtaining an exemption include 36-month stability without significant clinical stress
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has filed a memo in court Wednesday that, in essence, bans transgender persons from joining military service and kicks out current transgender service members unless they receive a certain exemption.
The memo was filed as part of an ongoing lawsuit that challenged President Donald Trump’s executive orders banning transgender military service.
Titled “Additional Guidance on Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” the new policy’s provisions state that persons with a current diagnosis, a history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria, are “incompatible” with the standards required for military service.
Pentagon Wants Transgender Service Members ‘Separated’ from Military
As per the memo, the U.S. military has been directed to identify transgender troops by March 26. Those who don’t obtain waivers or exemptions will be “separated” from the military by June 25.
“Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria may elect to separate voluntarily in the 30 days following signature of this guidance,” the memo stated.
Troops who opt for the “voluntary” separation may be eligible for separation pay.
Key Highlights of the New Policy
The DOD’s Wednesday filing states that:
- Individuals with a diagnosis or history of “gender dysphoria” cannot be eligible for military service. Gender dysphoria refers to a condition wherein an individual’s assigned sex at birth is different from their gender identity.
- There are only two sexes recognized by the Defense Department: male and female.
- Bathroom and shower facilities will be based on the service member’s sex.
- Male service members cannot share sleeping or bathing facilities for females and vice versa, unless there is an extraordinary case of operational necessity.
- Service members planning to have medical procedures associated with sex reassignment surgery and similar surgeries and therapies will not be funded by the military.
Transgender service members will only be allowed to remain in service if they obtain a waiver, which requires 36-month stability without significant clinical stress, adherence to
“standards associated with the service member’s sex,” and demonstration that the transgender troop “has never attempted to transition to any sex other than their sex.”
Basically, the exemption requires transgender troops who want to stay in service to adhere to the strict limitations in their daily behavior and meet a specific military need.
