Less than five years after the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the U.S. military is taking the next step toward treating all service members fairly. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced Monday that next year, after a six-month study, transgender Americans will be allowed to serve openly in the armed forces. It’s a long overdue shift toward justice for the country and those who defend it.
An estimated 15,500 transgender people serve in the military today, with the constant worry that sharing their identity with one person too many will result in discharge and dishonor. This forced secrecy does material harm to transgender troops hesitant to report health issues or instances of sexual assault for fear of being discovered. Carter’s decision to lift the ban pending a review of the decision’s impact on national defense capabilities would afford transgender service members the same privileges and care as other members of the military.
The review will cover important questions. But one thing is not up for debate: Transgender people have just as much right — and are just as able — to serve as anyone else. The study should focus on logistical concerns about the best way to integrate transgender troops. Some are easy to address: what uniforms transgender service members should wear, for example, or where they should live. Some are harder: what hormone therapy or surgical procedures the military should provide to transgender enlistees, or what fitness standards those in the process of transitioning from one sex to the other should meet.
The Defense Department will not have to find answers all on its own. Medical professionals can tell the military on a case-by-case basis what care is necessary for troops. And the NCAA has science-based policies it uses regarding transgender athletes. The United States also can look to allies such as Britain, Australia and Canada, which have grappled with these issues and solved them.
There’s another reason to expect success: By all accounts, the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” did not jeopardize national security but instead improved it. The ease with which the armed forces shed the policy suggests that the military’s rigid and regimented nature — which skeptics thought made a repeal impractical and even dangerous — actually might facilitate cultural change once an order is handed down.
Lifting the ban on transgender people in the military will bring in more good soldiers and help those already in the armed forces do their jobs even better. It also will grant all Americans the chance to serve their country with dignity.
Editorial by The Washington Post
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