The Pentagon will begin relocating up to 1,000 openly identifying transgender service members following a new directive enabled by a recent Supreme Court decision that reinstated a ban on transgender individuals in the military. Under the directive issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria will be involuntarily discharged, with the Department of Defense (DoD) set to review medical records to identify those who have not self-identified. As of December 2024, approximately 4,240 troops were diagnosed with gender dysphoria, though this number may be higher.
Hegseth expressed strong resistance to transgender inclusion within the military, stating, “No More Trans @ DoD” and emphasizing a departure from what he termed “wokeness.” Under the new policy, active-duty members have until June 6 to self-identify, while National Guard and Reserve members have until July 7.
The previous memo in February faced a legal hold due to lawsuits, but the Supreme Court’s ruling allows the enforcement of this ban while other challenges remain pending. Critics, including the dissenting justices, noted the absence of detailed explanations for the ruling.
The cost for medical treatments related to gender dysphoria for service members is estimated at about $52 million from 2015 to 2024. The Pentagon defends the ban by asserting that the health constraints related to gender dysphoria are incompatible with military service standards. Limited exemptions may be allowed for personnel able to demonstrate a unique contribution to military operations, though they would still face restrictions regarding gender recognition in various military contexts.
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