Supreme Court allows Trump's ban on transgender troops to take effect

[Jessica_Rose]

Supreme Court allows Trump's ban on transgender troops to take effect

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/supreme-court-allows-trump-s-ban-on-transgender-troops-to-take-effect/ar-AA1Eh4JK?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=98c62c7f05d749eef6c78d840f3b32e2&ei=88

Story by Maureen Groppe (6 April 2025)

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court will allow President Donald Trump's ban on transgender people serving in the military to take effect while court challenges continue.

The Justice Department said the courts improperly second-guessed the Pentagon's assessments of the risks of transgender servicemembers rather than giving the military the "substantial deference" its judgments are owed.

The administration also argued the policy is "materially indistinguishable" from a partial ban the Supreme Court allowed to go into effect during Trump's first administration.

But the transgender servicemembers challenging the new policy said it's more expansive.

Plus, there's now years of experience showing transgender servicemembers have improved, not harmed, military readiness, lawyers for the servicemembers argued.

The Justice Department says letting transgender people serve "undermines military readiness and lethality." U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush, said there's no evidence to support that.

"The government's arguments are not persuasive, and it is not an especially close question on this record," Settle said.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., reached a similar conclusion on March 18 in a related challenge by transgender members of the military. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes' order temporarily blocking enforcement of the policy is on hold while it's being reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Reyes, who said the ban was "soaked with animus and dripping with pretext," was appointed to the bench by former President Joe Biden.

[D'Amalie]

You beat me to the draw, Jessica.  I just parsed that out of my news feed.  Our cadre is back to where we were 4 years ago.  The age of enlightenment is well and truly suspended.

[Jessica_Rose]

You beat me to the draw, Jessica.  I just parsed that out of my news feed.  Our cadre is back to where we were 4 years ago.  The age of enlightenment is well and truly suspended.

I think it's actually worse now. We are on more peoples 'radar', and the current administration is encouraging people to shun us and take away our rights. I'm hopeful that it's an 'extinction burst', but I'm deeply concerned that it isn't.

Extinction burst:
An extinction burst is a temporary increase in a behavior that typically occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced. It's a brief period where the individual tries harder to get the reinforcement they used to get, often before the behavior decreases. Think of it like a child throwing a tantrum when you start ignoring it after previously giving in.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[D'Amalie]

I think it's actually worse now. We are on more peoples 'radar', and the current administration is encouraging people to shun us and take away our rights. I'm hopeful that it's an 'extinction burst', but I'm deeply concerned that it isn't.

If half the population voted to support the policy, we've definitely lost ground.  It's the tolerance and acceptance we are missing.  No other population is suffering like ours at the moment...outside of immigrants maybe?

[Moonflower]

My heart goes out to all who are affected by this ruling, starting with the current service members who can be banned, and continuing to all of us who are losing our constitutional rights. I believe in the power of protest! Does everyone know how to reach someone who might listen and help turn this tide?

[D'Amalie]

There are 15,000 serving.  I haven't seen any waiver process.

[D'Amalie]

What are they going to say as reason for discharge?  Cock and bull as unfit for duty?  Fraudulent enlistment?   Lapses in good military order?  Convenience of the government?

These are people looking forward to a career.  Now what? 

This is a follow up:  In March a memo from SECNAV said, "An individual's sex is immutable, unchanging during a person's life."  Guidance released on Thursday (13 March) explained that Marines and sailors who do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth must either take voluntary honorable separation or else be forcibly removed from service later in March.  Those that leave voluntarily reportedly may receive separation pay.  The Navy expects folks to self identify.  I wonder what happens if they don't, if they stay in the service as stealth trans passing as it were, under the radar.

I lived through those days of homophobia and closeting.   I served honorably, and retired from the service.  One reason i didn't stay in was the pressure of closeting.                      It breaks my heart.