The United States Army announced through social media that it will no longer allow transgender individuals to enlist and will cease providing gender-affirming care for service members.
“The US Army will no longer allow transgender individuals to join the military and will stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members,” the X post read.
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.
Stay tuned for more details.
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) February 14, 2025
It further said, “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.”
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.
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) February 14, 2025
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The announcement comes after President Trump signed an executive order in January, directing the Pentagon to establish a policy for transgender service members within 30 days.
The president’s order stated that “expressing a false “gender identity” divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service”. “Beyond the hormonal and surgical medical interventions involved, a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life”
According to CBC News, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had paused bringing in recruits who have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and paused all gender-affirming care.
The memo is listed in the docket for the case in the Washington DC District Court challenging the president’s executive order, which could potentially result in a renewed ban on transgender troops.
According to Reuters, the military has about 1.3 million active-duty personnel based on the Department of Defense data. Transgender rights advocates have said there at around 15,000 transgender service members, but officials have said that the number is in the low thousands.
As per CBC News report, SPARTA Pride, a nonprofit organisation for trans service members and veterans, said in a statement, “Transgender service members have been serving openly for almost ten years, and currently fill critical roles in every branch and specialty, including infantry, aviation, nuclear engineering, law enforcement, and military intelligence, many requiring years of specialized training and expertise.” It further added, …The readiness and physical capabilities of transgender service members is not different from that of other service members.”
