US Military To Kick Out Transgender Soldiers

The Pentagon has disclosed that it will start removing transgender troops from the United States military within 30 days, unless they obtain a waiver on a case-by-case basis.

This move is part of President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at barring military service by transgender personnel.

According to a memo released by the Pentagon, “Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria will be processed for separation from military service.”

However, troops may be considered for a waiver if they meet certain criteria, including demonstrating “36 consecutive months of stability in the service member’s sex without clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.”

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The policy change has sparked controversy, with many arguing that it discriminates against transgender individuals.

The move is also the latest development in a series of changing policies on transgender military service in the US.

In 2016, the Obama administration lifted a ban on transgender troops, allowing them to serve openly. However, the Trump administration has repeatedly sought to reverse this policy.

President Trump has argued that transgender individuals should not be allowed to serve in the military, stating that “expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.”

However, many have criticised this stance, arguing that it is discriminatory and goes against the principles of equality and inclusivity.