The Pentagon has issued a directive to begin the process of discharging up to 1,000 openly transgender service members following a Supreme Court decision that allows the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender individuals in the military. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized a shift away from what he described as “wokeness” in the military, stating, “No more pronouns” and explicitly targeting transgender service personnel.
To identify service members affected by the ban, the Defense Department is reviewing medical records for those diagnosed with gender dysphoria—a condition where an individual’s gender identity does not align with their biological sex. Current estimates suggest there are about 4,240 troops diagnosed with this condition, and those service members will be involuntarily discharged. The new rules provide a 30-day period for active-duty personnel to voluntarily self-identify, with successive deadlines for National Guard and Reserve members.
The directive additionally outlines that no one with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria will be permitted to enlist. Despite legal challenges, Pentagon officials have cited “medical, surgical, and mental health constraints” as justification for the ban. However, limited exemptions may be granted for individuals who can demonstrate support for warfighting needs while maintaining biological sex.
Treatment for gender dysphoria has cost the military approximately $52 million from 2015 to 2024. The ongoing changes have been met with mixed responses, and while the Supreme Court allowed the enforcement of this policy, the dissenting justices suggested they would have kept the policy on hold pending ongoing litigation.
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