Transgenders Will Be Allowed To Enter The US Military Via Biden's Executive Order

Presiden as Joe Biden (Instagram / @ DRAFT)

JAKARTA - After officially taking office, the President of the United States (US) Joe Biden immediately broke many of his predecessors' rules. Together with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Biden signed an executive order repealing a Donald Trump-era policy that prohibits transgender people from joining the military.

"It restores positions that have been supported by previous commanders and ministers. And what I'm doing is enabling all eligible Americans to serve their country in uniform," Biden said, quoted by CNN as speaking from the Oval Office before signing the executive order. .

Trump's ban has been rebuked by the Democratic House of Representatives and condemned by LGBTQ activists as discrimination. Austin voiced support for overturning the ban during his Senate confirmation hearing last week.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said there were cases where male members who decided to change their gender to women were dismissed from the military. The gender identity case will be re-examined.

"Nobody will be separated or dismissed from the military or denied re-registration on the basis of gender identity, and for those transgender members who are dismissed or separated because of gender identity, their cases will be re-examined," Psaki said at the White House at a briefing.

"President Biden believes gender identity should not be a barrier to military service and that America's strength is found in its diversity," Psaki said. "America is stronger around the world if it is inclusive."

Biden held a meeting with Secretary Austin, US Vice President Kamala Harris and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, according to the White House. Later, Harris was also present at Lloyd Austin's oath ceremonial as Secretary of Defense in the Roosevelt Room at the White House.

Harris and Austin were the first two blacks to hold their respective positions. Their joint performance underlines Biden's diverse record of governance. Austin was the first black Secretary of Defense and Harris was the first black US Vice President, and the first woman and first South Asian to hold the position.

Austin discussed the transgender ban in the US military during his confirmation hearing on Friday January 22, 2021. He told the Senate Armed Services Committee: "I firmly believe, Senator, that as I said in my opening statement, that if you are fit and you are serve and you maintain standards, you should be allowed to serve. "

That same day, Austin was confirmed as US Defense Secretary. Austin had previously been granted a congressional waiver because he took the post before waiting seven years after active service. Austin is the second member of the Biden Cabinet to be appointed by the Senate, after Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

Trump first announced a transgender ban for the US military via Twitter in July 2017. The reason is that transgender people in the military will cause "tremendous medical costs and distraction."

The policy, then officially released by Secretary of Defense James Mattis in 2018, blocks individuals who have been diagnosed with a condition known as gender dysphoria from serving with limited exceptions. The policy also stipulates that individuals without these conditions can serve, but only if they do so according to the gender assigned at birth.

Trump's ban reverses policies originally approved by the Department of Defense under Barack Obama's policies, which are still under final review. The policy allows transgender individuals to openly serve in the military.