Trump Reinstates Transgender Military Ban

Norfolk, VA – When Trump stood in front of the Republican Party – and America – to accept his party’s nomination, he held up a rainbow flag and said that he would protect LGBTQ Americans.

Day after day and week after week, the Trump administration has worked to eliminate LGBTQ Americans from the conversation. Any mention of LGBTQ Americans has been removed from all government websites. This administration has appointed the most anti-LGBTQ administration in recent history – like the nation’s top lawyer, Jeff Sessions –  and today he’s trying to eliminate LGBTQ Americans from the picture altogether by dishonoring those who serve and protect our country.

We’ve heard these lines before; that if we let African Americans into the military there would be medical costs and disruption; that if we let women serve there would be medical costs and disruption; that if we let gay men and women serve there would be medical costs and disruption. Now, these exaggerated and false statements are being applied to the 15,000 transgender individuals who openly and bravely serve their country.

“It is clear that this administration has no intent to protect LGBTQ Americans, despite what the President has said in the past. The time for lip-service is over. People in this country, including – as we saw today – people who serve in our military, can be fired just for being transgender. They can be denied housing or be evicted just for being transgender. People in our community woke up this morning to find out they don’t have a job, their boss doesn’t support them, and they don’t know what their future looks like. It’s terrifying, it’s wrong, and it’s dishonorable,”

said Stacie Walls-Beegle, CEO of LGBT Life Center. Walls-Beegle went on to say,

“With over 15,000 active duty and reserve soldiers, many of whom reside in Hampton Roads, the American people need to realize that transgender individuals live with this fear every day because federal protections don’t exist. The United States military should not be exempt from anti-discrimination.”