美国国家公共电台 NPR Trump Swaps Complete Ban For 'Qualified Ban' On Transgender Military Service

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SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

President Trump¹ has revoked² a blanket ban on transgender military service he tried to impose last summer. A new detailed⁴ ban released late last night has the support of some religious conservatives but has renewed fury among advocates for transgender service members who vow⁵ to continue their fight in court. From member station WBUR, Martha Bebinger reports.

MARTHA BEBINGER, BYLINE⁶: The revised ban applies to anyone diagnosed with gender³ dysphoria. That's the medical condition for those who receive care typically during their transition. The White House spelled out exceptions for service members who agree not to present as transgender or do anything to change their gender and for current transgender troops. But there's great confusion about who'd be in and who'd be out. Matthew Thorn is president of the LGBT military association OutServe.

MATTHEW THORN: They could really discharge anyone who is transgender in the military. This is a categorical ban.

BEBINGER: In a memo⁷ filed yesterday, Defense⁸ Secretary Jim Mattis wrote about the voluntary limits on personal freedoms that men and women in the military must accept to be sure they are ready for combat. Some conservative Christian⁹ groups are pleased to see President Trump restrict service for transgender troops who have had surgery or who continue with hormone¹⁰ treatment. Andrew Beckwith is president of the Massachusetts Family Institute.

ANDREW BECKWITH: We think that's a good move, restores the focus on military readiness and deployability that we had until roughly 18 months ago under the Obama administration.

BEBINGER: Trans military groups, including SPART*A, point out that many non-trans troops have surgery or are on hormone replacement¹¹ therapy and continue to serve. Sparta President Blake Dremann says the average transgender service member spends eight years in the military and has two deployments.

BLAKE DREMANN: There's no justification¹² for this ban. And there's no justification for leaving our country without service members who are fully¹³ capable of performing their duties to the standards set forth¹⁴ by their commanders.

BEBINGER: The revised ban is on hold. There are four lawsuits¹⁵ pending¹⁶. Attorneys for the defendants¹⁷ in one case are due in court next week on a motion to have the ban permanently¹⁸ overturned. For NPR News, I'm Martha Bebinger in Boston.

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