The announcement blindsided many in the military, which had been moving ahead with plans to integrate transgender troops, based on a 2016 study commissioned by the military that found that allowing transgender people to serve openly would “have minimal impact on readiness and health care costs” for the Pentagon. The decision is a blow for social conservatives, who have pushed to curtail transgender policies since the ban was lifted in 2016. In response, Mr. Trump made a far bolder move to ban transgender service members entirely. Democrats in Congress, who in September introduced legislation to protect transgender troops from discharge, were quick to mark a victory. “This court order will allow our transgender troops to continue serving based on their ability to fight, train, and deploy — regardless of gender identity.”Logan Ireland, an Air Force staff sergeant who was not involved in the lawsuits, said he and other transgender troops were hopeful but cautious.

Source: New York Times October 30, 2017 17:46 UTC