American Family Association Urges President to Remain Committed to Transgender Military Ban

TUPELO, Miss.—President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military is now in effect, but five states have chosen to defy it, according to The Hill.

President Trump began discussing the ban in 2017, and the Supreme Court ruled in January the ban could proceed. Nevada, Oregon, Washington, California and New Mexico are reportedly allowing transgender people to serve in their states’ National Guard, despite the ban that went into effect April 12.

Regarding this controversial topic, the American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) says it supports the constitutional directive for the U.S. Armed Services to defend its citizens against invasion.

“We also support the policy directive of the President of the United States, as Commander-in-Chief, to ban from serving in the military transgender individuals who have undergone gender transition or have a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon.

Furthermore, Wildmon added, AFA agrees with the U.S. Department of Defense’s February 2018 statement on transgender service in the military:

“[T]he Department of Defense concludes that there are substantial risks associated with allowing the accession and retention of individuals with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria and require, or have already undertaken, a course of treatment to change their gender. Furthermore, the Department also finds that exempting such persons from well-established mental health, physical health, and sex-based standards, which apply to all Service members, including transgender Service members without gender dysphoria, could undermine readiness, disrupt unit cohesion, and impose an unreasonable burden on the military that is not conducive to military effectiveness and lethality.”

AFA reports that prior to 2016 Americans were generally banned from serving in the Armed Forces if they identified as transgender or suffered from gender dysphoria. Only recently under the Obama administration did Department of Defense Secretary Ash Carter announce a new policy allowing those who identify as transgender to serve in the military effective July 1, 2017.

“The Trump administration reversed the flawed transgender policies of the previous administration,” said Rob Chambers, vice president for AFA Action, the governmental affairs affiliate of the American Family Association. “However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressional Democrats are fighting to reinstate the Obama Administration’s transgender military policy with the passage of the non-binding H.R. 124. This non-binding resolution strongly urges the Department to revert to a policy allowing transgenders to enlist and serve in the Armed Forces. AFA recently urged Senate leadership to pass a resolution that supports the Pentagon following the constitutional authority of the Commander-in-Chief.”

View the media page for AFA here. For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or on Twitter @AmericanFamAssc.

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To interview a representative from the American Family Association, contact [email protected], Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or ext. 102.