It is sparking outrage.
The U.S. military has introduced a new policy affecting transgender service members, which will take effect on February 7, 2025. This policy halts the recruitment of individuals with a history of gender dysphoria and suspends all gender transition-related medical procedures for active-duty personnel. The change follows an executive order by President Donald Trump, who expressed concerns that allowing people to serve who identify with a gender different from their sex at birth does not align with military values.
The memo, issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, clarifies that this new policy will only impact incoming recruits and any scheduled gender transition procedures. It also states that transgender service members already in the military will remain in service and will be treated with respect and dignity. The Department of Defense is expected to provide additional details regarding the implementation of this policy.
While estimates of the number of transgender service members in the U.S. military vary, with some advocates suggesting as many as 15,000, official reports put the number much lower. A Gallup poll released recently revealed that 58% of Americans support transgender individuals serving openly in the military, though this support has decreased from 71% in 2019.
The executive order is being challenged in court, with civil rights groups seeking to prevent the removal of six military members involved in a lawsuit against the order. One of the plaintiffs, Miriam Perelson, a transgender service member at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, alleged that she faced discrimination, being told she must either be classified as male or leave the military. Perelson claimed she was segregated from the women’s quarters, placed in an empty classroom, and denied access to female restrooms.
