Donald Trump disallows most transgender people from serving in the US Army
Washington, Mar 24 (IBNS): US President Donald Trump's Friday night order reiterated his stance on transgender troops partially, reports said.
According to the order, most transgender people will be disallowed to serve in the national army.
Last year he had banned the said community altogether from joining the troops.
Trump's new plan is set to cancel another policy implemented by the Obama administration.
The US President seemed to have followed recommendations made by Defense Secretary James Mattis.
"By its very nature, military service requires sacrifice. The men and women who serve voluntarily accept limitations on their personal liberties — freedom of speech, political activity, freedom of movement — in order to provide the military lethality and readiness necessary to ensure American citizens enjoy their personal freedoms to the fullest extent,” his memo to Trump read.
He said that present transgender soldiers who have not undergone reassignment surgery should be allowed to stay, provided they have been medically stable for 36 consecutive months in their biological sex before joining the military.
According to a report published in The Washington Post, Trump's decision will be challeged, much like his previous decision, where he banned transgender troops.
"In service to the ideological goals of the Trump-Pence base, the Pentagon has distorted the science on transgender health to prop up irrational and legally untenable discrimination that will erode military readiness," The Washington Post quoted Aaron Belkin as saying.
Belkin has studied transgender issues for the Palm Center, which worked in tandem with the Obama administration and was instrumental in repealing the previous ban.
"There is no evidence to support a policy that bars from military service patriotic Americans who are medically fit and able to deploy. Our troops and our nation deserve better,” Belkin said.
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