Air Force eases rules on banning transgender troops
ing involuntary separation of gender fy interferes with their military duties. dysphoric Airmen has not changed, the “Identification as transgender, absent a elevation of decision authority to the direcord of poor duty performance, misWASHINGTON — The Air Force has alrector, Air Force Review Boards Agency, conduct, or a medically disqualifying tered its procedures for making deterensures the ability to consistently apply condition, is not a basis for involuntary minations about the continued employthe existing policy,” said Daniel Sitterly, separation,” the statement said. ment of transgender service members, the principal deputy assistant secretary A similar decision in March by the mirroring a recent decision by the Army of the Air Force. Army was cheered by advocates as histhat advocates hailed as a step forward Previously, that director made detertoric and a possible sign the military is for a group that has long been marginalminations about whether transgender preparing to overhaul its policy toward ized within the military. Air Force officers would be dismissed, transgender service members, as it
In a statement posted on its website while commanders in the field made degradually did for gay and lesbian personThursday evening, the Air Force nel.saidacisionsaboutenlistedpersonnel.Now, senior Air Force official would now dethe director of the review boards will According to the Williams Institute, cide whether to dismiss any personnel have authority over all cases. a legal think tank that studies sexuality diagnosed with gender dysphoria or who The Air Force says transgender serand gender issues, there are an estimatidentify as transgender. vice members are recommended for ed 15,500 transgender service members
“Though the Air Force policy regard- dismissal only when their gender identi- in the military.
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