Trans members of the US armed forces face a ban on military service starting next week, following an executive order by President Trump. The Pentagon's policy declares military personnel with a history of gender dysphoria as unfit to serve. Deadlines for voluntary departure have been set, with active-duty personnel by June 6 and reserve members by July 7. Failure to comply could lead to involuntary dismissal, threatening benefits. Many service members, including trans and non-binary individuals, express profound distress over these changes and their implications on their lives and careers.
Trans major Kara Corcoran, who has been in the army for 17 years, said news of the Pentagon memo came just two days before she was set to graduate from an elite military leadership programme. She was told she would have to conform to male uniform regulations which included shaving her hair, which she had grown since coming out in 2018. 'Nothing about me is a man but they're going to force me into male regs just so I can walk across the stage with my peers,' she said. 'It's not my choice to cut my hair. I'm doing it because I have to.'
Non-binary naval officer Rae said the order had upended their family's life, forcing them to move and search for a new career. Rae, who has served aboard a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and in the Middle East, said they were forced to transfer in preparation for their eventual dismissal. 'It felt like the safest move for us,' Rae added.
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