President Joe Biden has overturned his predecessor's ban on transgender troops in the US military, signing an executive order declaring that all Americans who are qualified to serve will be allowed to enlist.
"President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service and that America's strength is found in its diversity," the White House said in a statement on Monday. "This question of how to enable all qualified Americans to serve in the military is easily answered by recognizing our core values. America is stronger, at home and around the world, when it is inclusive."
Biden has signed the EO reversing Trump's transgender military ban, per a just released fact sheet from the White House.
"President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that America’s strength is found in its diversity." pic.twitter.com/z1J0vNEfTC
Retired Army General Lloyd Austin, who was confirmed by the Senate last week as Biden's defense secretary, testified that all applicants who are fit, qualified and can maintain the military's standards should be allowed to serve.
Former President Donald Trump banned transgender enlistment, effective in April 2019, claiming it would strengthen military readiness. He argued that troops seeking treatment for gender dysphoria would increase medical costs and create disruptions to their readiness to fight. The policy didn't affect troops who were enlisted prior to that point. The Pentagon estimated that nearly 9,000 service members considered themselves to be transgender individuals.
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