Local LGBT Community Condemns Transgender Military Ban

CHARLOTTE, NC — President Trump announced, on Twitter, that he plans to bring back a ban on transgender people serving, “in any capacity”, in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The move would reverse a Defense Department policy approved under President Obama. The announcement was immediately criticized by LGBT leaders and civil rights groups.

“As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens.”

Those words from President Trump at the Republican Convention last summer. Wednesday morning it was words on Twitter, announcing a reinstatement of a ban on transgender people serving openly in the military.

The president ignored questions on his tweets during an afternoon appearance in the Rose Garden. But his press secretary did outline the thought process.

“Based on consultation that he’s had with his National Security team, came to the conclusion that it erodes military readiness and unit cohesion,” said Sarah Sanders during a press briefing. “And made the decision based on that.”

Trump’s decision came without a plan in place to implement it, or any answers on what could happen to active transgender military members.

“There’s upwards of a thousand who are openly serving already, because they thought it was okay to come out and start transitioning within service,” says Charlotte LGBT activist Paige Dula. “And then you have thousands more who are still closeted. What happens to these people?”

A 2016 study commissioned by the Defense Department found that letting transgender people serve openly would have a “minimal impact” on readiness and health care costs.

Reaction from both sides of the aisle to the president’s policy came swiftly.

“I served on active duty in the military, and I can tell you we don’t care about gender orientation or identity, or who you love,” said California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu. “We just care if you can shoot straight and complete the mission.”

“I think that you ought to treat everybody fairly,” said Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby. “And you ought to give everybody a chance to serve.”

Trump’s decision marks a setback for LGBT rights groups, who have expressed concerns that this administration could chip away at progress the community has seen in recent years.

“I don’t think anyone in the LGBT community really thought that he was going to hold true to being an ally to our community,” sayd Dula. “It shows he’s a hypocrite, but I’m not surprised.”

That 2016 Defense Department study put the number of transgender people in the military between 1,300 and 6,600; a tiny percentage of the military’s 1.3 million-member force.

We are also hearing from local leaders in Congress on the controversial issue.

Democratic Congresswoman Alma Adams released a statement today. She tells WCCB Charlotte:

“Every brave service member willing to put their life on the line to protect our freedoms deserves the right to serve and our full respect for their sacrifices.”

Republican North Carolina Representative Robert Pittenger also weighing in. In a statement he says in part:

“We are talking about war, and life and death situations of those protecting our freedoms and liberties. The president is right to rely on the judgement of his senior military advisors whose responsibility is to protect us.”