Trump and military officials have argued that barring transgender people from serving would improve readiness and strengthen unit cohesion. AD“The transgender ban has harmed military readiness across the board. Their conclusions are based on public statements from senior officials, interviews with transgender troops, survey data and conversations with faculty members at service academies. Nearly 15,000 transgender troops serve in the military, according to estimates of Pentagon figures by the Palm Center, some of whom joined after President Barack Obama allowed transgender people to openly serve in 2016. But the ban also produces different requirements for transgender troops, she said, like needing higher-level approval for gender-related medical care compared with other issues, such as treatment for injured knees or backs.

Source: Washington Post November 22, 2020 16:41 UTC