Trump bans transgenders from serving in military

In a presidential memorandum, US President Donald Trump has banned some transgender service members from serving in the US military, saying transgender individuals “with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria” are unable to serve except under limited circumstances.

“Among other things, the policies set forth by the Secretary of Defense state that transgender persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria — individuals who the policies state may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery — are disqualified from military service except under certain limited circumstances,” said a White House release.

Trump tweeted last July that he wanted to ban all transgender service members because the military “must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory.”

The Department of Defence (DoD) had submitted a report to the president which said allowing those with a history of gender dysphoria to serve entailed “substantial risks” and could, by exempting them from existing physical, mental and sex-based standards, “undermine readiness… and impose an unreasonable burden on the military”.