Military to enforce transgender limits

The military will begin enforcing President Donald Trump’s restrictions on transgender troops on April 12, according to a Pentagon memo. That drew rebukes from Democratic lawmakers and civil-rights advocates who decry the change as bigoted.

The memo stipulates that a history of gender dysphoria would disqualify applicants to the military unless they have been stable in their biological sex for 36 months, are willing to abide by the rules for that sex and have not transitioned and do not need to in the view of medical providers.

Those who were already in military service before the start date will fall under the 2016 policy enacted by the Obama administration. That policy allowed people who have transitioned to join the military and gave those already serving an opportunity to transition while in the armed forces.

It also allowed service members to change their gender marker in the military system and abide by uniform, grooming and facilities rules for their new identity.

None of that is allowed under the new restrictions.

Now, secretaries of the military services will be given latitude to grant exceptions to individuals, who would then be able to access medical care in accordance with the old policy.

The decision to begin enforcement comes after Trump announced the ban by tweet in July 2017.

Critics said the new rules amount to a de facto ban because they essentially allow transgender people to serve in the military only if they refrain from transitioning or engaging in activities that allow them to live out their identity.

Democrats hope to reverse the ban through bipartisan legislation.