- A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s ban on transgender military service members will remain blocked. The policy was previously set to go into effect on Friday.
- The ban was initially blocked on March 18 after a judge ruled that it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution because it discriminates based on transgender status and sex.
- The administration plans to challenge the ruling and file an appeal with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
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A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s ban on transgender members in the U.S. military will remain blocked and will not go into effect on Friday, March 28, as intended.
In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender people from enlisting or serving in the military.
On March 18, Judge Ana Reyes issued an injunction against the ban. She stated the Department of Defense’s (DOD) policy violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution because it discriminates based on transgender status and sex.
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The DOD filed to dissolve the injunction, issuing new guidance.
The administration attempted to clarify that the ban would apply to people suffering from a medical condition known as gender dysphoria “and does not discriminate against trans-identifying persons as a class.”
On Wednesday, March 26, the judge determined that while the policy is different, the government’s argument remains the same, according to Fox News.
“Defendants re-emphasize their ‘consistent position that the policy is concerned with military readiness, deployability, and costs associated with a medical condition,’” Reyes wrote. “Regulating gender dysphoria is no different than regulating bipolar disorder, eating disorders, or suicidality. The military ban regulates a medical condition, they insist, not people. And therein lies the problem.”
The Trump administration plans to challenge the ruling and file an appeal with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
A FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S BAN ON TRANSGENDER MEMBERS IN THE US MILITARY WILL REMAIN BLOCKED AND NOT GO INTO EFFECT JUST BEFORE THE DEADLINE.
THE POLICY WAS SET TO GO INTO EFFECT ON FRIDAY.
IN JANUARY, PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FROM ENLISTING OR SERVING IN THE MILITARY.
ON MARCH 18TH, JUDGE ANA REYES ISSUED AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE BAN, STATING THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’S POLICY VIOLATED THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE US CONSTITUTION BECAUSE IT DISCRIMINATES BASED ON TRANSGENDER STATUS AND SEX.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FILED TO DISSOLVE THE INJUNCTION, ISSUING NEW GUIDANCE.
THE ADMINISTRATION ATTEMPTED TO CLARIFY THE BAN WOULD BE AGAINST PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM GENDER DYSPHORIA “A MEDICAL CONDITION – AND DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST TRANS-IDENTIFYING PERSONS AS A CLASS.”
ON WEDNESDAY, THE JUDGE SAID THE POLICY IS DIFFERENT BUT THE GOVERNMENT’S ARGUMENT IS NOT, ACCORDING TO FOX NEWS.
“DEFENDANTS RE-EMPHASIZE THEIR ‘CONSISTENT POSITION THAT THE POLICY IS CONCERNED WITH THE MILITARY READINESS, DEPLOYABILITY, AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH A MEDICAL CONDITION.’ REGULATING GENDER DYSPHORIA IS NO DIFFERENT THAN REGULATING BIPOLAR DISORDER, EATING DISORDERS, OR SUICIDALITY. THE MILITARY BAN REGULATES A MEDICAL CONDITION, THEY INSIST, NOT PEOPLE. AND THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM,” JUDGE REYES WROTE.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO CHALLENGE THE RULING AND FILE AN APPEAL WITH THE DC CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS.
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