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Trump’s next discriminatory policy: banning transgender Americans from military
This morning, Donald Trump took a break from publicly beefing with his attorney general Jeff Sessions to announce that transgender Americans can no longer serve in the military.
After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
….Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
….victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
Citing the “tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail” is a completely nonsensical and bullshit excuse for a bigoted policy put in place to catalyze the culture wars that the GOP’s Trumpist base feeds off of.
An official in the Trump administration spoke to Jonathan Swan, political reporter at Axios, saying that this move will make Democratic victories in Rust Belt states more difficult.
https://twitter.com/jonathanvswan/status/890202683721863168
While this isn’t the official stance of the White House, it’s a pretty cynical statement.
This worldview uses people’s civil rights as some sort of identity politics issue to further divide the country and win elections because Trump and his crew assume blue collar white voters don’t want transgender people in the military.
Of course, there is zero evidence that having transgender people serve in the military would have any negative “medical costs” or affect their ability to deploy.
Here's what the RAND Corporation had to say about transgender soldiers. https://t.co/TgeyIQ5oeh pic.twitter.com/8BIFCnnEzv
— Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) July 26, 2017
It seems like Trump wanted to issue a strong, socially conservative initiative that would gain support from his base and distract from the omnipresent Russia probe swirling around him.
But this may not be such a widely-supported move by conservatives.
Even Sen. Richard Shelby, an old GOP curmudgeon from Alabama, doesn’t support a ban that would actively prevent Americans from being able to serve in the military.
JUST NOW: GOP Sen.Richard Shelby responded to new transgender policy. He said (roughly) "I think everybody should be able to serve."
— John Berman (@JohnBerman) July 26, 2017
It’s also revealing that the Pentagon has referred all questions on this matter back to the White House. This was very much a political and discriminatory move by Trump and his allies to shore up a base of bigoted, confused, and disenfranchised white people.
Pentagon statement on transgender rules changes:
"We refer all questions about the President's statements to the White House"
— Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) July 26, 2017
This move is not in line with actual facts. Especially as the DoD employs the most transgender people in the country.
A note: the Department of Defense is the largest single employer of trans people in the country. An estimated 15K are currently serving.
— Jane Coaston (@janecoaston) July 26, 2017
For someone who claims that he wants to make the military stronger, this actively removes a segment of the population from fighting wars or protecting American interests.
ZERO evidence a sniper who is LGBT is less qualified than someone who is LGB or straight. Making America Discriminate Again makes us weak. https://t.co/Hh0RicL3vb
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 26, 2017
Last year, Trump campaigned on a promise that he would protect the LGBT community, although it’s literally possible he didn’t know what those letters meant.
Thank you to the LGBT community! I will fight for you while Hillary brings in more people that will threaten your freedoms and beliefs.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2016
And Ivanka, what say you?
I am proud to support my LGBTQ friends and the LGBTQ Americans who have made immense contributions to our society and economy.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 2, 2017
Remember when Caitlyn Jenner said Trump would help the LGBT community?
.@Caitlyn_Jenner sooo….u got some splainin to do pic.twitter.com/6pdeg2rPjd
— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) July 26, 2017
Every single trans person is braver than Donald Trump
— Ike Barinholtz (@ikebarinholtz) July 26, 2017
Draft dodger who claimed to be pro-LGBT banning people from volunteering to serve our country.
How are the bone spurs?@Scaramucci https://t.co/54wePLeNHc
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) July 26, 2017
This is a pretty dark moment in our country’s history.
In the meantime, donate to the Transgender Law Center to help protect the most vulnerable segment of the country’s population.