Which state does not allow transgender people to serve in the military?
NEW YORK — The federal government will not allow Transgender Americans to serve openly in the U.S. military, the Obama administration said Friday, citing the military’s ban on transgender service members.
A Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the ban “is not a matter for me to decide.”
The official did not specify what protections the transgender service member would be expected to have.
The decision came a day after a judge ruled that the Obama Administration failed to comply with the law requiring military personnel to take the gender marker on their identification cards.
After hearing from advocates and military leaders on Friday, the U:S.
Army lifted the ban.
At issue is a 2012 Supreme Court ruling that allowed transgender troops to serve, but the military still refuses to allow transgender individuals to serve.
In 2014, the Trump administration lifted the Pentagon’s ban and reinstated the option for transgender troops.
But last month, a federal judge in New York blocked the Trump Administration from enforcing the ban in its entirety.
It was unclear whether the Trump government was still appealing the ruling.
Trump signed an executive order in December 2016 to end the ban and allow transgender troops the ability to serve fully.
He had previously indicated that he would seek to end transgender discrimination.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll be able to have a lot of success,” Trump said at the time.
More:The Obama administration’s transgender policy also banned transgender people from the military.
Some transgender service personnel in the armed forces have filed lawsuits against the administration, saying they are not protected by the military policy.