US Department of Defense Lifts Ban on Transgender Military Service Members

Ban on Service During Trump Overturned After 2 Years
Ongoing Controversy Over Medical Support Costs for Transgender Individuals

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it will repeal the transgender military service ban established during the previous Donald Trump administration and allow transgender individuals to serve in the military. This controversy began during the Barack Obama administration in 2016 and is still known to face significant opposition, especially from conservative groups.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press, on the 31st of last month (local time), the U.S. Department of Defense announced new regulations allowing openly transgender individuals to serve in the military and receive medical support related to gender transition, overturning all transgender military service bans created during the Trump administration. The new regulations also include provisions prohibiting discrimination against transgender people and are expected to be implemented after each military branch completes regulatory adjustments within 30 days.

Earlier, President Joe Biden signed an executive order allowing transgender military service on January 25, just five days after his inauguration. The Department of Defense then refined the regulations over two months and publicly announced the new rules on Transgender Day. Transgender military service was first permitted during the Obama administration in 2016, but was reversed the following year when former President Trump took office, instituting policies that banned transgender military service.

However, opposition remains strong, especially among conservative groups, and the controversy is expected to continue. According to CNBC, from 2016 to 2019, the Department of Defense spent approximately $8 million (about 900 million KRW) on medical support for transgender individuals, and conservative groups strongly oppose transgender military service, citing the increasing costs. According to the Department of Defense, the number of U.S. military personnel diagnosed with gender dysphoria, who feel discomfort with their gender identity, has more than doubled to around 2,200 compared to 1,071 in February 2019.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.