AMPASenior U.S. officials at the Pentagon told the Associated Press today (Monday, July 13) they are finalizing plans to lift the ban on transgender military service. An announcement is expected this week “with the goal of formally ending one of the last gender or sexually-based barriers to military service,” according to the American Military Partner Association.
According to the AP report, the services “would have six months to assess the impact of the change and work out the details.”
“We are thrilled the Department of Defense will finally be taking the necessary steps to allow our transgender service members to serve openly and honestly,” said AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “We look forward in anticipation to the announcement this week and being able to review the process and implementation.”
“Today’s Department of Defense announcement is a positive sign that they understand that open trans military service is desirable and inevitable,” National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director Mara Keisling said. “The Pentagon’s rickety system of discrimination against us is falling apart.  It is in everyone’s interest that the 15,000 or so currently serving trans people be allowed to serve openly and honorably. The Pentagon knows, as we do, how this review is going to end. The National Center for Transgender Equality urges the Department of Defense to quickly end the discriminatory policy and allow trans people to serve openly and with dignity.”