Transgender troops forced to leave or be discharged under Trump ban: ‘This is coercion’

Earlier this month, the Defense Department told transgender service members that they had to choose whether they would voluntarily or involuntarily separate from the military.

Earlier this month, the Defense Department told transgender service members that they had to choose whether they would voluntarily or involuntarily separate from the military.

Four trans service members who are now in the process of separating said nothing about their decisions feels voluntary at all.

“Nobody feels like this is voluntary,” said Emily Shilling, a commander in the Navy and the president of SPARTA, a nonprofit group that advocates for trans service members. “This is coercion. This is under duress.”

President Donald Trump signed an executive order a week into his administration prohibiting trans people from enlisting or serving in the military. Trans service members sued, and a federal judge temporarily blocked the order from taking effect. Then, last month, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to enforce the order. Days later, the Defense Department issued guidance requiring active duty service members to voluntarily self-identify as having been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, which is the distress that results from a misalignment between one’s birth sex and gender identity, by June 6 and reserve service members to self-identify by July 7.

After that, the guidance said, the military will find trans service members who didn’t self-identify through medical readiness programs and begin involuntarily separating them. Affected service members “are eligible for an array of benefits,” the guidance said, including separation pay, “which will be higher for those who self-identify and agree to a voluntary separation.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/transgender-military-troops-forced-out-trump-ban-rcna212685


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