Donald Trump‘s blitzkrieg of Executive Orders has struck multiple blows against the trans community. Among its most recent targets are transgender people in the U.S. military. In yesterday’s EO (“Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness”), the president stripped trans service members of several basic protections. Although the White House framed it as an issue of military preparedness, the facts don’t support that claim. Other Executive Orders already rob transgender Americans of employment protections and the ability to freely travel. The administration’s policy of legalized discrimination seems clear.
Trump’s War On Trans Americans Continue
By itself, the Executive Order doesn’t constitute a ban on trans people in the military, but it lays the foundation. The stark failure of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and other anti-LGBTQ policies isn’t stopping Trump from taking another stab at legalized discrimination. The president’s Executive Order in effect argues that restricting and excluding trans people from military service is necessary to maintain a peak fighting force. Except it’s not. The EO also argues that trans people cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service. If you’re familiar with U.S. military history, however, you know why that’s a lie.
Before Christine Jorgensen made headlines in the ’50s as the first person in the U.S. to undergo a successful gender-confirmation surgery, she served in the military during WWII. The claim that trans identities somehow conflict with “a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle” is a slap in the face of the countless trans people who have already served and suffered on behalf of America’s military.
Social Media Reactions to Transphobic Executive Order
The Trump administration’s untrue and discriminatory claims regarding trans service members and other LGBTQ people have only increased. A TikTok on the subject by @xaviertexidor garnered over 11k likes and numerous comments expressing support for those affected by the U.S. government’s transphobic policies. “Navy vet. I stand with you brother,” said one commenter. Another shared their own story, saying,
I lost my service during DADT [Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell]. Over 20 years before I came out as Trans as a civilian. With you. Glad you’re here. And thank you for your service 🌹 💙
Trans service members aren’t the only ones to face discrimination under the Trump administration. The processing of U.S. passports with “X” markers has also reportedly halted, preventing many trans people from leaving the country even if they could afford to. The quiet part isn’t just being said out loud. It’s being screamed.
