The US Supreme Court has allowed President Trump to enforce his policy of banning certain transgender people from the armed forces.
The policy stops “transgender persons who require or have undergone gender transition” from serving in the military. The top court’s ruling is not a mandate, but it has opened up the option for the military to enforce the ban. The Trump administration had also appealed for an expedited ruling on the case, which the Supreme Court declined to take up; and with good reason too. A ban/policy like this cannot be rushed, as a fair and ethical policy needs to be put in place.
In the end, the court voted 5-4 to grant Trump a lift of injunctions blocking the policy while challenges continue in lower courts. The four liberal judges on the court opposed the ruling.
Pentagon spokeswoman Lt Col Carla Gleason said that the military treats “all transgender persons with respect and dignity” and the new policy was “based on professional military judgement”.
She also said taht the “proposed policy is NOT a ban on service by transgender persons. It is critical that the defence department be permitted to implement personnel policies that it determines are necessary to ensure the most lethal and combat effective fighting force in the world.”
The Policy has obviously outraged the online community, with many people not associated to the LGBT community upset by the decision.
