(Photo: X)
The military of the United States has banned the intake of transgender persons into the army and has stopped all procedures for gender transition, effective immediately. The US Army made the announcement in a post on X on Saturday, February 15.
“The #USArmy will no longer allow transgender individuals to join the military and will stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members,” read the post.
“Effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused, and all unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for Service members are paused. Individuals with gender dysphoria have volunteered to serve our country and will be treated with dignity and respect,” added the US Army.
Trump signed an executive order last month halting federal funding for institutions that provide the care and directing federally run insurance programmes, including Medicaid and TRICARE for military families, to exclude coverage for it. The order also calls on the Department of Justice to pursue litigation and legislation to oppose it.
Medicaid programmes in some states cover gender-affirming care. Trump’s order suggests that the practice could end, and targets hospitals and universities that receive federal money and provide the care.
Legal challenges have already been filed on the military order, the plan to move transgender women in federal prisons to men’s facilities and the recognition only of people’s sex as assigned at birth, which led to the halting of allowing gender markers to be changed on passports.
As transgender people have gained visibility and acceptance in some ways, there’s been vehement pushback. At least 26 states have passed laws to restrict or ban gender-affirming care for minors. The US Supreme Court heard arguments last year but has not yet ruled on whether Tennessee’s ban on the care is constitutional.
This post was last modified on February 15, 2025 10:29 am