Pentagon Restricts Rules for Transgender Troops
(MENAFN) A recent Pentagon memorandum limits the ability of transgender and non-binary U.S. military personnel to contest their dismissals, a news agency has reported.
The memorandum comes after an order by U.S. President Donald Trump instructing the Department of War to prohibit anyone with a current or previous diagnosis of gender dysphoria from joining or continuing service.
A corresponding Pentagon directive issued in February faced legal challenges, but the Supreme Court in May permitted the ban to move forward. Dismissal hearings began shortly afterward.
Under the policy, individuals with a history of gender-affirming surgery or hormone therapy cannot serve unless they receive a waiver from separation boards—peer panels that determine whether personnel may continue serving or should be discharged.
According to a new Pentagon document dated October 8 and published by the news agency on Friday, commanders are now empowered to overturn decisions previously made by independent separation boards regarding this issue, granting commanders ultimate authority over dismissals.
The memorandum, which sources told the news agency was distributed to troops only last week, also mandates that service members attend hearings wearing uniforms aligned with their birth-assigned gender, cautioning that failure to comply could negatively affect their cases.
Advocates argue that the new policy removes procedural safeguards previously afforded to transgender troops, while separation board decisions for other service members remain final.
They also warn that the uniform requirement could prevent many from attending their hearings.
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