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WEEKLY DEBRIEF
Trump wants to ban transgender people from the military.
Here’s the background In July 2017, US President Donald Trump tweeted that he would ban transgender people from serving in the military, arguing that his government “cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruptions.” The following month, Trump signed a memorandum banning trans military recruits.
The deadline for the policy to take effect was March 2018. However, federal courts issued preliminary injunctions to put the ban on hold because trans service members who challenged the policy had shown that it had harmful consequences. In an effort to bypass the injunctions, the Trump administration unveiled an updated version of the policy a year ago which recommended banning most trans troops while allowing those who’d already transitioned to remain within the ranks. This same policy served as a foundation for the new rules released this month.
The latest Last week, Trump’s administration approved a directive that requires most trans service people and recruits to serve as the sex they were assigned at birth, and bars them from transitioning while they are in the military. The policy also gives new and existing trans service members only 30 days to qualify for gender transition.
However, in a decision released on March 19, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled the administration was wrong to say that it could begin to implement a ban on trans troops.
In the ruling, Kollar-Kotelly says, “Defendants were incorrect in claiming that there was no longer an impediment . . . Defendants remain bound by this Court’s preliminary injunction to maintain the status quo.”
This means that the Trump administration may not yet be able to implement a ban on trans troops.
Now, what Xtra investigates how this ban would affect current trans service members. Here’s what we found:
WORLD AT A GLANCE
The 2020 Democratic presidential candidates will participate in a debate and discuss LGBTQ2 issues for the first time. Hey y’all, we’re watching you.
Japan has a law that demands the sterilization of trans people. The country has come under fire after the Human Rights Watch released a report criticizing the policy. Idk about you but this is so wrong on so many levels.
This year, the state of Tennessee introduced a rash of anti-LGBTQ2 legislation — some of which will be voted on this week — prompting LGBTQ2 residents to come together to fight what they’ve called the “Slate of Hate.”
Unhappy parents contacted Manchester primary schools over lessons that discuss LGBTQ2 rights. Okay, but like, why they so salty though?
Ontario reverses its reversal on sex ed. Here’s a roundtable discussion on the new curriculum and what it means for LGBTQ2 youth.
QUEER CONTENT ROUNDUP
- Two Catholic school graduates fact-check their sex-ed textbook, ‘Fully Alive.’ And they have concerns. [Xtra]
- Sis, does someone need to cast a Silencio spell on JK Rowling? [Xtra]
- Here are 15 things that straight people do that some gay people are still scared to. *cough straight privilege* [Buzzfeed]
- DC Comics just hired a disabled trans actor to play a disabled bi superhero. I ~truly~ need a hero. [Queerty]
- “Hoedown Throwdown” singer Miley Cyrus is queer, naked and ready to party. [In Style]
- Okay, pause, let’s talk about The Closet. [Slate]
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