Biden Overturns Trump Transgender Military Ban - Do You Support the Repeal?

What's the story?

• President Joe Biden has repealed Donald Trump's ban on transgender Americans serving the military.

"Transgender servicemembers will no longer be subject to the possibility of discharge or separation on the basis of gender identity," the White House said.

What's the history of the ban?

• Former President Trump announced on Twitter in 2017 that the U.S. would no longer "accept or allow" transgender Americans to serve in the military because of "tremendous medical costs and disruption.”
• Two years later, the Supreme Court allowed the ban to go into effect after a string of legal challenges.

What are people saying?

The White House

"President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that America's strength is found in its diversity."

New Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin

• "The Department will immediately take appropriate policy action to ensure individuals who identify as transgender are eligible to enter and serve in their self-identified gender."

"The United States Armed Forces are in the business of defending our fellow citizens from our enemies, foreign and domestic. I believe we accomplish that mission more effectively when we represent all our fellow citizens."

-Josh Herman