The country’s military leaders are getting an additional six months to determine whether they should continue to discriminate against transgender individuals who want to enlist in the armed forces. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday that military chiefs will have more time to analyze whether the “readiness or lethality of our forces” would be affected by lifting the ban that prevents openly transgender individuals from enlisting.
The move that came right before the July 1 deadline that had been set up by the Obama administration doesn’t affect the estimated 15,500 transgender individuals who are already serving in the armed forces. But it would impact the ability of people already identifying as transgender to join the military. In a leaked memo, Mattis said he came to the decision after consulting with senior military officials and the delay “in no way presupposes an outcome.” But it comes as many Republican lawmakers in Congress have expressed their opposition to lifting the ban.
Many criticized the delay, including House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer. “It is outrageous that the Trump Administration would issue a delay in allowing transgender Americans to serve openly in our military without providing any evidence to support such a decision,” Hoyer said in a statement.
Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, which studies topics related to sexuality in the military, said the delay will only encourage people to lie. “Secretary Mattis’ decision to prolong the enlistment ban will have the effect of requiring applicants to lie in order to join the military, as was the case under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’,” Belkin said. “That makes no sense because, as predicted by all of the research, transgender military service has been a success.”
