Transgender military members will now be able to openly serve.
US Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, announced on June 30 that transgender Americans can openly serve in the military.
In a press conference on Thursday, Carter said, “I am announcing today that we are ending the ban on transgender Americans in the United States military. Effective immediately, transgender Americans can serve openly, and they no longer can be discharged or otherwise separated from the military just for being transgender.”
One week prior, four transgender service members were invited to meet with Carter. Army Intelligence Officer Captain Jennifer Peace and Navy Lieutenant Blake Dremann were joined by an Airman and a Marine, wishing to remain anonymous, at the Pentagon for the historic meeting.
According to NBC OUT, Peace said, “At the beginning [Carter] told us that he absolutely believed that anyone capable of serving should be able to and that being transgender did not prevent that.”
Peace also highlighted that Carter offered an apology “for the difficulties that we had faced” as well as thanked the four service members for their continued service despite the additional challenges. Peace told NBC OUT, “I don’t think he saw us any different than cisgender service members, but in that moment I think he recognized the additional sacrifices we have made to continue to serve.”
Carter spoke about the many reasons, including the future of the military, about why the ban is being lifted. He highlighted that transgender Americans are already serving saying, “we are talking about talented and trained Americans who are serving their country with honor and distinction.”
He also noted that the act of discharging “a qualified, trained service member simply because of their gender identity is harmful to the military’s general readiness,” adding, “These are the kind of people we want serving in our military.”
Changes also include new medical guidelines for military doctors, who will now be allowed to provide all necessary transition related medical care. By next year, transgender recruits will be welcomed by all US military branches.