US lifts ban on transgenders to serve in the Military

TIL Desk/World/Washington-In a historic decision, the Pentagon has lifted the ban on transgender Americans to serve in the United States military, a move which is being hailed across the country. “We are ending the ban on transgender Americans in the United States military,” Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.

“Effective immediately, transgender Americans may serve openly and they can no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military just for being transgender,” he said. He said the gender identity of an otherwise qualified individual will not bar them from military service or for any accession program.

“In taking the steps, we are eliminating policies that can result in transgender members being treated differently from their peers based solely upon their gender identity rather than upon their ability to serve and we are confirming that going forward we will apply the same general principles, standards and procedures to transgender service members as we do to all serviced members,” Carter said.