15,000 affected

Transgender soldiers in the USA threatened with dismissal

(Bild: Radu Tuta / Agerpres Foto)

According to a paper from the US Department of Defense, transgender soldiers are to be expelled from the military unless they receive an exemption. The Department's submission, which was filed in court on Wednesday, effectively bans them from joining or serving in the army. 

US President Donald Trump had already signed an executive order on transgender soldiers in January.

"Incompatibility" cited as justification
Among other things, it states that a man who identifies as a woman is "incompatible with the humility and selflessness required of a soldier". In February, the Department of Defense declared that the military would no longer accept transgender individuals into the armed forces and would no longer perform or facilitate gender reassignment procedures for military personnel. The paper issued late Wednesday night goes further.

It now says the Defense Department must create a process to identify transgender soldiers and then discharge them from the military within 30 days. "It is the policy of the U.S. government to set high standards for soldier readiness, mortality, cohesion, honesty, modesty, uniformity, and integrity," the Feb. 26 memorandum states. "This policy is inconsistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health restrictions for individuals with gender dysphoria or individuals currently diagnosed with or exhibiting symptoms of gender dysphoria."

According to the Department of Defense, there are approximately 1.3 million people on active duty in the military. According to transgender rights activists, there are up to 15,000 transgender soldiers. According to official figures, there are only a few thousand.