The Pentagon recently disclosed the details of its updated transgender troop policy in a court filing, outlining stringent criteria for service members or recruits with a diagnosis or treatment for gender dysphoria. According to the policy, individuals in this category are generally ineligible to serve unless they can demonstrate a specific warfighting necessity and adhere to strict limitations on their daily conduct.
The policy memo was submitted as part of a legal challenge against President Donald Trump's executive order on transgender military service. The directive, similar to the executive order, argues that the military's effectiveness is compromised by the challenges faced by transgender personnel during their gender transition process, asserting that gender is unchangeable throughout one's life.
Exceptions to the policy include cases where transgender individuals seeking to enlist can prove their direct support for warfighting activities on a case-by-case basis. Existing service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria may also be considered if they can demonstrate support for a specific warfighting requirement and remain stable in their biological sex for over 36 months without significant distress.
However, even with a waiver, individuals would still be required to adhere to their biological sex for facilities such as bathrooms and sleeping quarters, as well as in official interactions where they may be addressed as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' based on their biological sex.
Gender dysphoria, a condition where an individual's gender identity does not align with their biological sex, is at the core of this policy debate.
While the number of transgender troops in the military is relatively small compared to the total force, the issue has garnered significant attention at both the White House and the Pentagon. Although exact figures are not disclosed due to medical privacy laws, an independent study estimated that there were approximately 14,000 transgender troops among the more than 2 million service members in 2018.
Former President Trump attempted to reverse this policy during his tenure, leading to a series of legal battles that persisted until President Joe Biden took office and overturned the ban.
