The Pentagon has outlined its new policy on transgender troops in a recent court filing. According to the document, service members or recruits diagnosed with or treated for gender dysphoria are disqualified from serving in the military—unless they can prove their role meets a specific warfighting need and follow strict restrictions in daily life.
This policy memo was part of the ongoing legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s 2017 executive order, which aimed to bar transgender individuals from serving in the military. The executive order was one of Trump’s early actions in office, sparking significant debate.
Similar to the previous order, the Pentagon’s new policy argues that the military’s effectiveness and readiness may be compromised by the challenges faced by transgender service members during their gender transition. The policy also states that gender is “immutable” and cannot change throughout a person’s life.
There are two exceptions to the policy. First, transgender individuals who wish to enlist can be considered if they can demonstrate that their service directly supports warfighting activities. Second, current service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria may continue to serve if they prove they have never transitioned to their identified gender and have remained stable in their biological sex for at least 36 months without significant distress.
For those granted a waiver, the policy states that their biological sex will be recognized in all aspects of military life, including bathroom facilities, sleeping arrangements, and even official recognition, such as being addressed as “Sir” or “Ma’am.”
Gender dysphoria occurs when a person’s gender identity does not align with their biological sex. Although the number of transgender troops is relatively small compared to the overall military population, the issue has drawn considerable attention from both the White House and the Pentagon. A 2018 study by the Palm Center estimated there were around 14,000 transgender troops serving, out of over 2 million active-duty personnel.
This issue has remained contentious since President Trump’s first term. His attempt to reinstate the ban on transgender service members led to multiple lawsuits. However, President Joe Biden overturned the policy in 2021, allowing transgender individuals to serve openly once again.
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